Music Companies Petition Congress For Financial Assistance

Several music organizations and companies came together on Friday (March 20) to send a message to Washington, D.C. More than two dozen companies sent a letter to members of U.S. Congress, seeking financial relief for the greater music community as the coronavirus spread forces numerous venues of all capacities to close down for the foreseeable future, halting tours and concerts both in the U.S. and internationally.

The letter is addressed to Nancy Pelosi, Mitch McConnell, Kevin McCarthy and Chuck Schumer, and signed by organizations including ASCAP, Americana Music Association, Country Music Association, Creative Artists Agency, Gospel Music Association, Global Music Rights, Live Nation, International Bluegrass Music Association, Recording Industry Association of America, WME, and more.

Read the letter in full below:
Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader McConnell, Leader McCarthy, and Leader Schumer:

As united representatives of the large and diverse American entertainment community, we offer our sincere gratitude for your immense efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic and to provide much needed aid.

We understand the sacrifices our country is making and appreciate our shared responsibility. We will make the necessary adjustments to our lives but, unfortunately, there is no option for many in the entertainment community to work from home. Our home is on the road, on the

studio lot or in the theater, in venues across the country that must close during the pandemic, in front of live audiences or with cast members who cannot gather. For now, those performances – and our jobs – have vanished, along with the costly and personally devastating

investments we can never recover. Without help, we know that many in our community will find themselves homeless, hungry, and unable to tend to their medical needs.

The economic pain cuts even deeper, touching not only performers and musicians, but also managers, producers, promoters, stagehands, drivers, and countless others who are feeling the immediate repercussions of this new reality. This unprecedented economic loss caused by canceled performances and production shutdowns is being played out in bars, nightclubs, theaters, stadiums, concert halls, studios, and festivals in every state, sidelining thousands of workers.

The entertainment community will do what it can to support its members, but this moment calls for the unmatched capabilities of Congress. As you navigate the difficult path to providing necessary aid to distinct sectors of our economy, we ask that you specifically address the unique nature of our work. Payroll tax holidays, paid leave, and other typical assistance may never reach many in the entertainment community; in fact, direct financial aid remains one hopeful – and perhaps best – solution to replacing lost income and offering some semblance of
economic sustainability.

We propose a similar benefit to the Emergency Paid Leave in Division C of HR 6201, along with emergency unemployment insurance access, available to those who cannot work due to a canceled performance or a production shut down. This fund and expanded unemployment insurance access and benefits would ensure that hundreds of thousands of families across the country can continue to pay rent, put food on the table, and care for their children during this public health emergency. In addition, we encourage you to be as inclusive as possible when crafting emergency paid leave, tax credits, and other programs – the unique nature of our industry means rules that require beneficiaries to have had a single, long-term employer will  simplyleave our entire workforce behind.

We all look forward to the end of this crisis. Certainly, entertainment will help us get through it. But we must take care of the many people in the American entertainment community who will help us heal, rebuild, and bring us back together, in public and in spirit. Thank you very much.

Sincerely,
Actors’ Equity
Alliance for Recorded Music (ARM)
American Association of Independent Music (A2IM)
American Federation of Musicians (AFM)
Americana Music Association
Artist Rights Alliance (ARA)
ASCAP
The Azoff Company
The Broadway League
California IATSE Council
Christian Music Trade Association (CMTA)
Church Music Publishers Association (CMPA)
Country Music Association (CMA)
Gospel Music Association (GMA)
CreativeFuture
Creative Artists Agency (CAA)
Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE)
Digital Media Association (DiMA)
Directors Guild of America (DGA)
Entertainment Union Coalition
Full Stop Management
Global Music Rights (GMR)
Gospel Music Association
Independent Music Professionals United (IMPU)
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)
International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA)
Live Nation
Music Artists Coalition (MAC)
Music Business Association (MusicBiz)
Music Managers Forum – US
Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI)
National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA)
Paradigm Talent Agency
Recording Academy
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)
Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA)
SESAC
Songwriters of North America (SONA)
SoundExchange
Southern Gospel Music Guild
United Talent Agency (UTA)
William Morris Endeavor (WME)
Writers’ Guild of America, East

The Onsite Foundation’s Triumph Over Tragedy Program Brings Community, Healing To Mass Shooting Survivors

Laura Hutfless

On Aug. 31, songwriter/producer Shane McAnally will join actress and activist Sophia Bush at Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center, as hosts for The Onsite Foundation’s Hope Rising gala, which will raise funds to help provide mental and emotional health services to vulnerable communities, particularly veterans and first responders, bereaved parents, and survivors of mass shootings from around the country.

One of the programs that will benefit from the upcoming soiree is The Onsite Foundation’s Triumph Over Tragedy workshop, which launched earlier this week in Nashville as a source of community, education and most importantly, hope for survivors of mass shootings.

As a Partner and co-founder at Nashville-based entertainment agency FlyteVu, Laura Hutfless has worked with many in Nashville’s music industry and fan community, including some who were impacted by the mass shooting that took place at Las Vegas’ Route 91 Harvest Festival in 2017, when a gunman fired on a crowd of concertgoers, killing 58 attendees and injuring more than 500.

Hutfless has seen firsthand the long-term struggles that survivors of mass shootings have to face, ongoing struggles that inspired her to help create an avenue for survivors in need of healing.

“For me, it was being in the music community, and those affected by Route 91, knowing artists and managers who were there, and seeing them really struggle with coming back and going back into what you would consider a normal life, or, what for them is a new normal, and some people struggle with that—for weeks, for months, and even still.”

For Hutfless, the impetus is both professional and personal. Hutfless’ boyfriend Austin Eubanks was a survivor of the 1999 mass shooting at Columbine High School, in Littleton, Colorado, which left 12 students and one teacher dead. Eubanks, who was 17 at the time of the Columbine shootings, was shot in the hand and the knee, and witnessed the death of his friend.

In the years following. Eubanks struggled with addiction to opioids, due to drugs he had been prescribed to treat physical pain, but did little to help him cope with the emotional pain. The addiction later included alcohol and other drugs. By 2016, Eubanks had celebrated five years of sobriety, and worked as a motivational speaker and leader for the Foundry Treatment Center, openly sharing his story to help others struggling with addiction. Last year, his story took an abrupt turn. Eubanks died of an accidental heroin overdose. He was 37.

“When I met Austin, I learned about his story and saw the struggles he had, even 20 years later,” Hutfless shares. “After he passed away, I received calls from other survivors. They had lost hope and he had been such an advocate for them, such a role model, that they didn’t know where to turn. I looked up places that could help and there weren’t many, so I decided we had to do something.”

Determined to carry on with the work Eubanks had started, Hutfless turned to friends at The Onsite Foundation, to help create the six-day Triumph Over Tragedy workshop, which earlier this week welcomed nearly 60 survivors from across the country to Onsite’s 250-acre campus outside of Nashville. All participants received a full scholarship to attend the program.

“There are so many incidents now, it’s become commonplace,” she says. “And unfortunately, we often forget about the survivors.”

No cell phones or computers are allowed during the program, giving attendees the space to fully focus on education and community. They work with therapists throughout the week and find community in others who have had similar experiences.

To make certain the program would successfully meet the needs of those attending the program, The Onsite Foundation formed a Survivor Advisory Council, a six-person group that includes mass shooting survivors from Columbine, Charleston, Parkland, Thurston, Las Vegas and Aurora. The program address various phases of trauma a survivor goes through, from the acute phase (within three months of an incident), intermediate (within the first year following an incident) and long-term management.

“They learn about fight and flight response, why they have anxiety or nightmares, or hyper-vigilance, all of those things. It’s about education and creating a safe environment,” says Hutfless. “It’s also about community. We know the only way to offload pain is community and so many survivors feel alone. They isolate, they don’t want to talk about what they are going through.”

In situations such as Route 91, attendees who congregated at the music festival then dispersed back to hometowns across the nation to begin the healing process—often returning to communities where they are the only people who have experienced such a tragedy.

“Just being in a room with people who have experienced the same thing is healing in and of itself.”

The program also addressed unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as drugs, alcohol, pornography, even the overuse of technology.

“There are so many options to medicate and numb the pain,” Hutfless says. “To quote Austin, he always said his drug of choice was more, more of whatever would numb that pain. So they talk about all of the ways people self-medicate and how that blocks healing from taking place.”

The program has been working to integrate aftercare for those attending the Nashville program, as many survivors go back to small towns where therapy may not be adequate, or even available.
“We’ll have coaches checking in with each person and digital portals where everyone can continue to connect. If they have a therapist when they are coming into the program, we’ll transition them back to their therapist and if they don’t, we’ll work to find one in their community.”

The Onsite Foundation aims to bring other variations of the workshop to additional locations, to service those who are not able to make the trip to Nashville, while Hutfless says she is proud the program is being held in Music City.

“Especially with what Nashville’s music industry and fans went through [during Route 91] that’s part of why we’re so proud to live in this community, because you see this community come together in ways that you don’t in other cities.”

Scotty McCreery Postpones Tour In UK, Ireland Until October


Scotty McCreery has announced he’s postponing his upcoming May concerts in the U.K. and Ireland out of caution due to the COVID-19 outbreak and rescheduling them for October.

“I’ve really been looking forward to coming over this Spring, but my first priority is the health and safety of my fans, venue owners and staff, and my band and crew,” said McCreery. “It may be a few months later than we had originally planned, but I can’t wait to come over to the U.K. and Ireland in October and see everyone. We will all get through this together.”

All shows except for Bristol, England (originally set for May 19) will be rescheduled to the new dates listed below, and original tickets remain valid. The Bristol show unfortunately could not be rescheduled, so tickets for that date will be refunded, and ticketholders should contact their point of purchase for refund information.

“I’m so sorry Bristol,” said McCreery. “I am very disappointed that I’m not able to perform in your city on the rescheduled tour. I hope to be there on a future U.K. tour, and I hope some of you are able to come to our London show since it is now on a Saturday.”

Rescheduled dates:
10/1/20-Manchester, England-O2 Ritz
10/3/20-London, England-O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire
10/5/20-Glasgow, Scotland-Old Fruitmarket
10/6/20-Belfast, Northern Ireland -The Limelight  (Sold Out)
10/7/20-Dublin, Ireland-Academy Dublin

John Prine’s Wife/Manager Fiona Whelan Prine Reveals Coronavirus Diagnosis

John Prine

Fiona Whelan Prine, the wife and manager of singer-songwriter John Prine, has announced she has contracted COVID-19.

In a video posted to her socials, the Nashville resident revealed she was diagnosed with COVID-19 earlier this week, and that John was also tested but results came back indeterminate. She says she is doing fine and also stated they are taking measures to protect John from catching the virus, which is especially serious to those who are older or with compromised health conditions.

“So many people have reached out to ask how we are and especially how John is, because many of you know that he’s had a lot of different health issues over the years, and he is definitely in that vulnerable population they’ve been talking about,” she shared. “So far, he’s fine. He’s always got a little something going on, but he’s 73 years old and he may have some issues, but he may not have this virus and I want to keep it that way.”

The couple is now self-quarantined and isolated from each other, as well as from other family members.

She also urged people to stay home to help prevent the virus from spreading.

“Please stay home. I think we will get through this if we do it together…I have all of you in my prayers. I absolutely do, and I know that I’m in yours. And we will get through this. Please stay well. Stay home.”

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Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, Marty Stuart To Play Saturday Night Opry Show

Brad Paisley. Photo credit: Justin Kaicles

Brad Paisley, Vince Gill and Marty Stuart will perform together on Saturday night’s (March 21) Grand Ole Opry, offering an acoustic set on the Opry stage—with no in-house audience—as the Opry hosts its 4,916th consecutive Saturday night broadcast.

 The Circle network will broadcast the show live on-air in their local markets for the first time since debuting Opry, a new weekly, live-recorded, one-hour TV program earlier this year. Opry fans can also stream it online at Circle All Access on Facebook or at Circle All Access on YouTube starting at 7 p.m. CT / 8 p.m. ET.
Last week, amid the concerns of the COVID-19 virus, the Opry paused all shows with a live audience through April 4 but vowed to continue its nearly-100-year radio broadcast history. Nearly half a million fans last Saturday were able to video stream or listen to Opry members Bill Anderson, Jeannie Seely, Connie Smith, Sam Williams and others perform acoustically from the Opry Circle. With today’s technology, the Opry can now be broadcast and streamed with a very small production team of people and very limited number of artists performing acoustically on the Opry stage.

Johnny McGuire Extends Publishing Deal With Combustion Music and COR Entertainment

Photo L to R: Kenley Flynn (Combustion Music), Chris Farren (Combustion Music), Johnny McGuire, Mickey Jack Cones (COR Entertainment), Chris Van Belkom (Combustion Music)

Johnny McGuire has extended his publishing deal with Combustion Music, in conjunction with Mickey Jack Cones’ COR Entertainment.

As a recording artist, McGuire recently signed as a solo artist to BBR Music Group’s Wheelhouse Records. His debut single, “I Can’t Even,” is currently climbing the charts, and appears on McGuire’s debut EP, Neon Nights, which was released in late 2019.

“Johnny is a unique voice in a very crowded field of similarity,” said Combustion Music President Chris Farren. “His honesty and passion for his music is refreshing, and we couldn’t be happier to be continuing this relationship.”

As a writer, McGuire co-wrote “Chevys and Fords,” a duet with Billy Ray Cyrus which the two performed at Nissan Stadium during 2019’s CMA Fest. McGuire also co-wrote multiple songs as half of the Stoney Creek Records duo Walker McGuire, including their debut single “Til Tomorrow” and streaming hit “Mysteries of the Worlds.”

“COR Entertainment is thrilled to be continuing our publishing partnership with Johnny and Combustion Music. We couldn’t ask for a better team and are extremely excited for Johnny and the next chapter in his career,” said COR Entertainment’s Mickey Jack Cones.

“I couldn’t be more happy to sign with Combustion,” said McGuire. “It’s exciting that I’m able to work on my new direction with the people who have been with me since day one.”

Music Biz 2020 Postponed

This year’s Music Biz conference, which was scheduled to take place in May at Nashville’s JW Marriott, has been postponed. The annual conference will now take place Sunday, Aug. 16-Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020 at the JW Marriott Nashville. All conference registrations and hotel reservations will be honored and automatically transferred for the postponed dates.

“Thank you to our registered attendees, speakers, and sponsors for your patience and continued enthusiasm for our event in this extremely uncertain period,” offered Music Biz President Portia Sabin. “The music industry has survived many turbulent patches throughout its long history, and once this health crisis is controlled, we look forward to an opportunity to come together and support our industry’s collective path forward.”

In the meantime, the organization will make its back catalog of webinars available both Music Biz members and non-members.

Among the previously-announced honorees for this year’s conference include Sony Music Entertainment’s Julie Swidler and Kobalt’s Willard Ahdritz.

Weekly Chart Report (3/20/20)

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DISClaimer: Willie Nelson, Lukas Nelson Offer New Musical Gems

This week, the Americana music winners come two-by-two.

In a DisClaimer first, the tie for the Disc of the Day award is a father and son. That would be Willie Nelson and his boy Lukas Nelson.

There are also two DisCovery Award winners in this stack of Americana platters. They are singer-songwriters Sarah Peacock and Van Darien. Heed them both.

LUKAS NELSON & PROMISE OF THE REAL/Couldn’t Break Your Heart
Writer: Lukas Nelson; Producer: John Alga and Promise of the Real; Publisher: none listed; Fantasy
– Audio ecstasy. The band is super tight, rolling along with a steady thump, some echoey atmosphere and high, keening electric and steel notes. Lukas rides atop the enchanting production with a plaintive, spot-on vocal of heart, head and soul. This is a foretaste of the act’s collection Naked Garden, which drops a week from Friday (3/27).

WILLIE NELSON/Our Song
Writer: Chris Stapleton; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Legacy
-This soft, meditative ballad completely envelopes you with its intimacy and warmth. A simple, gentle production, Willie’s guitar and an almost whispered vocal cuddle up next to you like loved ones. I swooned over this. The track comes from his forthcoming 70th (!) album, First Rose of Spring. It is due April 24, and Willie turns 87 five days later. May I remind you that he has won Grammy Awards the past two years in a row? The man is still at the top of his game.

THE SECRET SISTERS/Late Bloomer
Writers: Laura and Lydia Rogers; Producers: Brandi Carlile, Tim Hanseroth, Phil Hanseroth; Publisher: none listed; New West
– Languid and folkie, this has a certain simple charm. But it is a little too pristine and pretty for my taste.

JASON ISBELL & THE 400 UNIT/What I’ve Done To Help
Writer: Jason Isbell; Producer: Dave Cobb; Publisher: none listed; Southeastern/Thirty Tigers
– Soulful and fiery, with his usual searing honesty. A new highlight in a catalog that’s already full of memorable moments.

DARIN & BROOKE ALDRIDGE/Emmylou
Writer: Soderberg; Producers: Darin Alridge/Mark Fain; Publisher: none listed; Rounder
– Brooke possesses one of the most gripping voices in all of country music, and Darin’s harmony work tugs at every heart string. Their little falsetto leaps in this enchanting song tickle the ears at every turn. This lovable couple is marketed as bluegrass, but their appeal is so much broader than that. Every music lover on earth needs to hear the magic that they make. And, yes, I did pen the liner notes for their exquisite current CD.

BOBBY BARE/The Day All The Yes Men Said No
Writers: Shel Silverstein; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; BB
-Let’s face it, the wry, dry Bare and the wry, dry and high Silverstein were made for each other. The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member (1930-1999) wrote hits for Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, Dr. Hook, Brenda Lee, Dave & Sugar, Waylon Jennings, The Irish Rovers, Jerry Lee Lewis and more. But his collaborations with Bare have always been special events.

SARAH PEACOCK/Burn The Witch
Writers: Sheena Brook/Sarah Peacock; Producer: Shawn Byrne; Publisher: none listed; Road Dog
– The rumbling bass undertow, heartbeat cello and mysterious atmosphere are perfect for her haunting soprano delivery of this poetic, evocative saga. This Music City troubadour is cool and different, and I fell for her at once. Think about the wail and passion of the Jefferson Airplane’s Grace Slick mixed with the dark, magical swirl of Stevie Nicks and you’ll be in the general vicinity. Elsewhere on her Burn the Witch CD, she’s a folk-pop diva with plenty to say.

WEBB WILDER/Night Without Love
Writer: R.S. Field; Producers: Webb Wilder/George Bradfute; Publisher: Sharp Circle/ASCAP; Landslide
– This great Music City rock showman is back with a romping, thoroughly Americana collection that includes slabs of sound penned by the likes of Russell Smith, Los Lobos and Chip Taylor, not to mention six of his own individualistic concoctions. The title tune is a light-hearted skip through a countrified ditty, complete with steel guitar. Don’s worry, the CD has a bluesy take on “Hi Heel Sneakers,” too.

VAN DARIEN/Levee
Writers: Van Darien/Ryan Michael; Producer: Steven Cooper/J.D. Tiner; Publisher: none listed; Mechanical Heart
– I dig her throaty alto as well as her evocative lyrics. This is the atmospheric title tune of a collection that sends repeated waves of liquid sound over you. This Texas-to-Tennessee transplant is essentially an introspective folk-flavored troubadour with a healthy dose of deep soul. Start your welcome-to-Nashville applause right now, because this is one of the most promising debut discs I’ve heard this year.

THE CARTER FAMILY/Farther Along
Writer: traditional; Producer: John Carter Cash; Publisher: public domain; Reviver Legacy
– This fascinating collection came out late last year. It’s titled Across the Generations because it combines voices of this legendary dynasty from first generation (Sara, Maybelle), to second generation (Anita, June, Helen), third generation (Carlene, John Carter Cash, Dale Jett. Lorrie Carter Bennett, David Carter Jones), fourth (Tiffany Anastasia Lowe, AnnaBelle Cash, Tucker Jett) and even fifth (Flo Wolfe, Adrianna Cross, Lux Darling, Jacob Strong). This set-opening track features Sara with descendants Dale and Adrianna. Elsewhere, you’ll hear ear-opening new treatments of such Carter chestnuts as “Gold Watch and Chain,” “Worried Man Blues,” “I Never Will Marry,” “Foggy Mountain Top” and, of course, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.” This, my friends, is the definition of American folk music. Not to mention the original foundation of country music.

Brooks & Dunn’s 2020 Tour Dates Rescheduled For Fall

Brooks & Dunn

Brooks & Dunn announced today that their Brooks & Dunn REBOOT 2020 Tour is rescheduled for this fall. The duo’s first nationwide tour in 10 years will now kick off in Cincinnati, Ohio on Aug. 28 and take them across the country through the fall. Tickets purchased will be honored for the rescheduled date.

Brooks & Dunn REBOOT 2020 Tour Official Dates:
8/28—Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
8/29—Burgettstown, PA – S & T Bank Music Park
9/3—Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
9/4—Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
9/5—Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
9/10—Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheater
9/11—Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
9/18—Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
9/19—Tinley Park, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
9/24—Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
9/25—Camden, NJ – BB&T Pavilion
9/26—Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
10/2—Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
10/3—St Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
10/23—Tampa, FL – Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheater
10/24—Orange Beach, AL – The Wharf Amphitheater
10/29—Woodlands, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman
10/30—Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion