Mandy Barnett Revisits Country Classics On Upcoming New Album

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Mandy Barnett is releasing a collection of iconic country and pop standards on her upcoming album, A Nashville Songbook, set for release Aug. 21 on Melody Place.

The project features songs that made Music City famous inspired by Barnett’s popular concert series and produced by Fred Mollin (Jimmy Webb, Johnny Mathis, and Kris Kristofferson), and includes tunes recorded by legendary artists like Ray Price, Roy Orbison, Tammy Wynette and George Jones, Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, Anne Murray, Hank Snow, and Brenda Lee, among others.

To give fans a taste of the brand new project, which is being distributed by BMG, Barnett has already released “End of the World,” and “Help Me Make It Through The Night” from A Nashville Songbook.

“I can tell you one thing – people still want to hear these songs,” said Barnett of the response from fans to the music. “Many of the artists who originally recorded them have passed on, so it’s important to keep these country and pop standards alive. I’m proud to be a modern torchbearer.”

Lynn Anderson ‘Rose Garden’ Collectors Edition Vinyl Due Out This Month

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Lynn Anderson‘s classic hit will be available in a unique new vinyl form that dedicated fans will love when the Rose Garden Deluxe Collector’s Edition is released June 13. The vinyl is being released just in time for Lynn Anderson Day on June 15, when a few other surprises will also be revealed.

This exclusive anniversary release contains never-before-seen notes written to Anderson from Reba McEntire and legendary producer Clive Davis while sporting a unique translucent pink color. Only 1,000 vinyl records have been created for this special release.

Lynn Anderson was recently featured in a special on PBS stations, Iconic Women of Country. The show offered a detailed look at the legendary female artists that shaped an era of country and their stories and songs. Original interviews and classic recordings dive into the sweet southern sense of Lynn Anderson and pay tribute to other icons of country including Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, Patsy Cline, Brenda Lee and more. The show spotlights live footage of Anderson’s hit, “(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden,” and includes testimonies from modern country stars who speak of these legendary women as a great source of inspiration.

Sony Legacy Recordings recently re-released four digitally remastered albums of Lynn Anderson’s: Cry, Listen To A Country Song, Singing My Song and Stay There ‘Til I Get There.

“This has been such an exciting year for all things Lynn Anderson,” says Anderson’s daughter Lisa Sutton. “Mom’s career left a lasting mark on country music and this has truly been the year for her to shine, with the re-release of four albums, the 2020 Lynn Anderson Rose, the Iconic Women of Country PBS special and the 50th Anniversary release of ‘Rose Garden’.”

Mark Your Calendar—June 2020

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Single Add Dates

June 1
Little Big Town/Wine, Beer, Whiskey/Capitol
Ingrid Andress/The Stranger/Warner/WEA
Waterloo Revival/Something You Ain’t Ever Had/Show Dog
Bobby McClendon/Maybe Tonight/Star Farm
Eric Chesser/Date Night/BigBig Records
Dallas Remington/Uncommon Man/RoadWarrior Records
Runnin’ Shine/The Way You Need Me/Great Heights Recording

June 4
Carvin Walls/Hippie

June 8
Walker Hayes/Trash My Heart/Monument

June 12
Bootsy Collins feat. EmiSunshine/Stars/Bootzilla Records

June 15
Chrissy Metz/Talking To God/EMI Nashville
Austin Hopkins/Right Now/A5H Records

June 18
Canaan Smith/Colder Than You/AWAL/Round Here Records

Album Releases

June 5
Ryan Stevenson/Wildest Dreams/Gotee Records

June 12
Larkin Poe/Self Made Man/Tricki-Woo Records
Gone West/Canyons/Triple Tigers Records
Kree Harrison/Chosen Family Tree/One Vision Music Group
Orville Peck/Show Pony/Columbia Records

June 19
Michael Franti/Work Hard and Be Nice/Thirty Tigers
Clint Black/Out of Sane/Blacktop Inc.
Gabby Barrett/Goldmine/Warner Music Nashville

June 26
Chris Colston/Bombs Away
Will Hoge/Tiny Little Movies/Thirty Tigers
Tenille Townes/The Lemonade Stand/Columbia Nashville in partnership with MCA Records

Country Artists Speak Up Following The Death Of George Floyd

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Photo: Josie Desmarais/iStock

Several country artists took to social media to speak out following the death of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. Following the incident, protests have taken place across the country as people speak out against systemic racial injustice and police brutality.

See artists’ responses below:

View this post on Instagram

 

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As the father of a black daughter and also two white daughters- I have struggled with what to say today. We have navigated forms of racism directly and while there is mostly overwhelming support and love for our family, sometimes there is just the opposite. Because of that fear, it can be a lot easier to choose silence, but today I’m choosing to speak. I have no clue what it feels like to be profiled by authorities, treated negatively or have my life threatened because of the color of my skin. When I witnessed the horrific murder of George and think about the mistreatment of other black men and women in America, I am heartbroken and angry. I get scared when I think about my daughters and what kind of world they will be growing up in and how my JOB as a father is to show them how to lead with love in the face of hate. To know their worth and value as not only women but human beings. I have witnessed my black band and crew members on the road struggle at times with feeling safe because of the color of their skin. This is unacceptable. I don’t believe in hate. I believe in love. What happened to George was pure hate. We are all created by the same God. I pray for a change in heart of those hearts who have been overcome by hatred and hardened. I pray for a deeper understanding for myself and awareness of the experience of mistreatment that those of another skin color go through. I pray for the families of those who have lost their lives to violence or experienced trauma at the hand of racial oppression and injustice. What can we do? I ask myself this question everyday. We each have to be part of the solution and we have to continue to educate ourselves, continue to support both financially and with service those organizations doing good work in our communities to overcome injustice and hatred in our country. And if you’re like me, continue to pray. So if there is any question on where I stand let me be clear- I stand with you, I stand with George and his family and all those who have faced racism. I stand with my wife and my daughters. We will be fighting this fight for the rest of our lives. Rest In Peace, George. We are not letting this go.

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Josh Thompson Enters Top Five On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart

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Josh Thompson moves into the top five on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart this week, with credits on the songs: “Ain’t Always The Cowboy” (Jon Pardi), “Be A Light” (Thomas Rhett featuring Reba McEntire, Hillary Scott, Chris Tomlin and Keith Urban) and “One Margarita” (Luke Bryan).

Craig Wiseman remains at No. 1, and Shane McAnally (No. 2), Luke Combs (No. 3) and Jonathan Singleton (No. 4) follow behind.

The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart, published every week, uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital downloaded 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.

Layoffs, Furloughs Hit Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

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The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is the latest music-related company to experience a round of layoffs and furloughs as the COVID-19 pandemic has forced companies to temporarily close their doors for the past few months.

The Country Music Hall of Fame has laid off 73 employees and furloughed 101 staffers, effective June 18. The layoffs and furloughs extend across all departments, and represent nearly half of the approximately 400 employees working for the Country Music Hall of Fame and its associated services.

“We were forced to make this difficult decision by a challenging business environment unprecedented in the museum’s history. Since closing March 13, the museum has lost millions of dollars in budgeted revenue,” said Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young. “Our economic setbacks, coupled with the uncertainties of the future related to the pandemic, make it necessary to take these measures now to protect the institution and ensure its future.”

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum recently announced it will be closed through the end of June, including ancillary programs such as Hatch Show Print, Historic RCA Studio B, the CMA Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and the Taylor Swift Education Center. Last year, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum broke an attendance record, with 1,297,433 visitors touring the museum, RCA Studio B and Hatch Show Print in 2019, marking the fifth consecutive year the Hall had welcomed more than 1 million visitors.

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum recently launched an interactive songwriting program, titled the Songwriter Sessions, and also brought its Words & Music program to Instagram Live.

Jim McCormick Signs Publishing Deal With Eclipse Music Group

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Jim McCormick has signed an exclusive publishing deal with Eclipse Music Group.

The Grammy-nominated songwriter has had two No. 1s on the charts: Jason Aldean’s “Take A Little Ride,” which spent three weeks at No. 1, and Brantley Gilbert’s “You Don’t Know Her Like I Do.” He is also a co-writer on Gabby Barrett’s new single, “The Good Ones,” which will be released to radio on June 8. His current releases include Kelly Clarkson’s “Minute,” Luke Bryan’s “All My Dreaming There,” Harry Connick Jr’s “I Do Like We Do,” Jon Pardi’s “Lucky Tonight,” and four songs on the new Samantha Fish record. His songs also have been recorded by Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Cody Johnson, Trisha Yearwood, Randy Travis, Ronnie Milsap, Jamey Johnson, Smash Mouth, Tyler Farr and more.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to be working with Jim, a long-time leader in the songwriting world and a consummate professional,” said Kurt Locher, co-founder of Eclipse. “Jim’s talent and versatility enables him to work with a great range of outstanding artists, and we’re excited for what the future holds.”

McCormick has served as board governor and vice president for the Recording Academy and on the board of the Nashville Songwriters Association International. He is also a 2013 alumnus of Nashville’s Leadership Music.

McCormick is a faculty member at Loyola University in New Orleans where he teaches songwriting. He has lectured extensively on songwriting at Berklee College of Music, Georgetown University, Vanderbilt University, Belmont University and Tulane University, as well as at GrammyPro and NSAI events. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Georgetown University and a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing from the University of New Orleans. He divides his time between Nashville and New Orleans, where he lives with his wife and three sons.

“I’ve been very fortunate in my career to have had incredible creative and business partnerships with my publishers, and this new chapter with Eclipse Music Group steadily continues that trend,” said Jim. “Kurt Locher and the whoe team at Eclipse display a commitment to excellence, in both the craft and business of songwriting, that makes the company a great fit for a writer like me.”

Weekly Register: Luke Combs Returns To No. 1

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Luke Combs. Photo (c) 2019 David Bergman for Sony Records Nashville.

Luke Combs‘ album What You See Is What You Get returns to No. 1 this week on the country albums rankings, with 27K (total consumption), according to Nielsen Soundscan.

Morgan Wallen‘s If I Know Me is at No. 2 with 22K, followed by Combs’ This One’s For You at No. 3 with 21K. Sam Hunt‘s Southside is at No. 4 with 16K. Florida Georgia Line‘s 6-Pack EP is the week’s top debut, entering at No. 5 with 14K.

Other debuts this week include Jordan Davis‘ self-titled EP at No. 16 with 8.1K, Steve Earle & the Dukes‘ Ghosts of West Virginia at No. 44 with 5K, and Craig Morgan‘s latest project God, Family, Country debuting at No. 69 with 3.8K.

Gabby Barrett continues to dominate the Country On-Demand Streaming Sales chart, as “I Hope” gains 11 million streams this week.

Wallen appears on the No. 2 and No. 3 spots, with “Chasin’ You” earning 8.9 million streams and “Heartless” from Diplo ft. Julia Michaels and Wallen earning 8.4 million streams. Maren Morris‘ “The Bones” is at No. 4 with 7.6 million streams, while Luke Combs (ft. Eric Church)’s “Does To Me” rounds out the Top 5 with 7 million streams.

Music Industry Reacts To Death Of George Floyd With Grassroots "Black Out Tuesday" Campaign

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Following the May 25 death of George Floyd, music companies have joined a growing grassroots movement calling for Tuesday, June 2 to be observed as “Black Out Tuesday.” Numerous companies in the music industry have joined the movement as protests have been held in many major U.S. cities, which also included Nashville, Tennessee.

A post, along with the hashtag #theshowmustbepaused, has gone viral, prompting companies to release their own statements of support on social media. As part of the campaign, companies will pause work on this day to “reconnect with our community.”

“Black Out Tuesday” has been deemed a day to unplug from normal business operations to collectively reflect on what can be done to put meaningful change into action. It’s also a day to stand in solidarity with the Black community to fight racial injustice and inequality.

Among the many companies taking part are Warner Music, Sony Music, Universal Music Group, Big Machine Label Group, ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Warner Chappell and others. See listing below.


Some of the companies that have publicly stated they will be observing “Black Out Tuesday” include:
117 Entertainment Group
Academy of Country Music
Americana Music Association
Adkins Publicity
ASCAP
BBR Music Group
Big Deal Music Group
Big Loud
Big Yellow Dog
Big Machine Label Group
Blackbird Audio Rentals
Blackbird Studio
Black River Entertainment
BMG
BMI
CAA
CDX Nashville
Centricity Music
CMT
Compass Records
Concord
Country Music Association
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Country Radio Broadcasters/Country Radio Seminar
CRB/CRS
Creative Nation
Curb/Word Entertainment
Creative Nation
Downtown Music
EA Music
G7 Entertainment
Given Entertainment
International Bluegrass Music Association
Live Nation
Marbaloo Marketing
Mediabase
Monument Records
Music Choice
MusicRow Magazine
NSAI
peermusic
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)
Red Light Management
Reservoir
Rhythm House
Richlynn Group
Riser House
River House Artists
Rounder Records
SESAC
Sony/ATV
Sony Music
Spirit Music Group
Still Working Music
Tri Star
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Publishing
Viacom/CBS
Visionary Media Group
Warner Chappell
Warner Music
WME

Barbara Mandrell Releases New Remix, Vinyl Album Collection

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Barbara Mandrell has reimagined her hit “Sleeping Single In A Double Bed,” releasing a Dave Audé remix of the song. Written by Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan, the song was first released on Aug. 1, 1978 as the first single from her album, Moods, and would later reach No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles Chart, the first of her six No. 1 singles. Check out the new remix here.

Producer Dave Audé, who earned a Grammy for remixing the Bruno Mars’ smash “Uptown Funk,” in addition to working with Katy Perry, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Madonna, U2, Sting, and more, has a fond admiration for Mandrell and her music. “I grew up as a kid on the West Coast watching the Barbara Mandrell Show and immediately became a fan. I am always humbled by the huge talent I’ve been able to work with throughout my career and Barbara is right there at the top. It’s been an honor to remix and re-imagine Barbara’s first Number One hit “Sleeping Single In A Double Bed” into something fresh and exciting,”Audé said.

Along with the dance-infused new remix, Mandrell has announced she will be releasing a greatest hits album on vinyl, After All These Years: A Collection, exclusively with Cracker Barrel. The album will be available July 10 at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store locations nationwide and online, marking Mandrell’s first release on vinyl in decades. Mandrell handpicked the songs that would be released in the new collection, making it particularly special to her.

“When I listen to the songs that were selected from different albums I recorded, I think about those of you that I recorded them for and those of you that are hearing them for the first time,” said Mandrell. “The greatest desire of my heart was to be an entertainer. My Heavenly Father — and you — gave me my 38-year career in show business. I’m deeply grateful and I hope that these selections from some of my albums entertain you.”

After All These Years: A Collection Track List For Vinyl:
Side A:
“Sleeping Single In A Double Bed” (K. Fleming, D. Morgan)
“Standing Room Only” (C. Silver, S. Manchester)
“In Times Like These” (K. Fleming, D. Morgan)
“Married, But Not To Each Other” (D. Lasalle, F. Miller)
“Wish You Were Here” (K. Fleming, D. Morgan)
“Crackers” (K. Fleming, D. Morgan)
“If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don’t Want To Be Right)” (H. Banks, R. Jackson, C. Hampton)

Side B:
“I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool” (K. Fleming, D. Morgan)
“Woman To Woman” (J. Banks, E. Marion, H. Thigpen)
“Till You’re Gone” (W. Aldridge, T. Brasfield)
“One Of A Kind Pair Of Fools” (R.C. Bannon, J. Bettis)
“Happy Birthday Dear Heartache” (M. David, A. Jordan)
“Fast Lanes And Country Roads” (R. Murrah, S. Dean)
“Years” (K. Fleming, D. Morgan)