CRS In Pictures: CMA, Rascal Flatts, Warner Music Nashville

Rascal Flatts On 20 Years Of Music Success

Pictured (L-R): Gary LeVox and Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts with Sarah Trahern (CMA Chief Executive Officer) and Joe Don Rooney of Rascal Flatts following the annual Country Radio Seminar’s keynote event on Wednesday, Feb. 19 at the Omni Nashville Hotel.

Rascal Flatts were Country Radio Seminar’s keynote speakers on Wednesday (Feb. 19). The Country Music Association’s CEO Sarah Trahern led a Q&A with the trio’s Gary Levox, Joe Don Rooney and Jay DeMarcus. Following the keynote interview, a welcome reception was held featuring performances from CMA KixStart Artist Scholarship recipients Angie K, Everette and Kyle Morgan.

Pictured (L-R): Kylie Morgan, Everette, and Angie K perform. Photo: Hunter Berry/CMA

 

Warner Music Nashville Keeps The CRS Party Going

Pictured (L-R): Hoss Michaels (KXKT/Omaha), Nick Rivers (WIRK/West Palm), Jude Walker (KMDL/Lafayette), Tom Starr (Warner Music Nashville), Tom Martens (Warner Music Nashville), Ben Kline (Warner Music Nashville), John Marks (Spotify), Chris Janson, Chad Schultz (Warner Music Nashville), Gator Harrison (WSIX/Nashville), James Marsh (Warner Music Nashville), Erich West (WDRM/Huntsville), Tim Leary (WIRK/West Palm) Tom Hanrahan (WDXB/Birmingham)

Warner Music Nashville’s staff and artists have been meeting and greeting with radio reps all week at Country Radio Seminar. The label had its second annual CRS kick-off luncheon on Wednesday (Feb. 19) and later hosted a “Warner Wednesday” cocktail party downtown at The Bell Tower. On Thursday (Feb. 20), Warner hosted a bourbon tasting with Brett Eldredge as well as a special women’s empowerment dinner. Chris Janson hosted a cigar bar downtown at Red Phone Booth. Later that evening, Ashley McBryde offered guests a performance and hangout at the Omni, previewing songs from her upcoming album Never Will. Two WMN artists will be part of tonight’s (Feb. 21) CRS New Faces of Country Music showcase, including Ingrid Andress and Morgan Evans.

Pictured (L-R): Lou Ramirez (Regional Manager, Radio & Streaming – Southeast, WMN); Gator Harrison (WSIX/Nashville); Cole Swindell; Tennille Hawkins

Pictured (L-R): Dan Smyers; Kristen Williams (SVP Radio, WMN); Shay Mooney; Brett Eldredge; Ashley McBryde; John Esposito (Chairman & CEO, WMN); Gabby Barrett

CRS: Is 2020 The Year of the Female Artist?

Pictured (L-R): MCA Nashville’s Katie Dean, KRTY’s Nate Deaton, WKLB’s David Corey, Cox Media Group’s Johnny Chiang, Radio Disney’s Kris Daniels

“2020 needs to be the year of the female artist,” said WKLB program director David Corey, one of a few programmers who assembled for a hot-topic panel session titled “All The Singles, Ladies: Breaking Female Artists” as part of Country Radio Seminar on Thursday (Feb. 20).

Katie Dean, Sr. VP/Promotion for MCA Nashville, moderated two panels that centered on female artists and country music. The first panel included Johnny Chiang, Director of Operations for Cox Media Group; Kris Daniels, Sr. Manager of Music Programming for Radio Disney Country; David Corey, Country Brand Manager/PD, WKLB; and Nate Deaton, General Manager for Empire Broadcasting’s KRTY.

“Right now, in the past six months and seeing what’s coming in the next little while, 2020 needs to be the year of the woman, because the music is great,” said Corey.

The female-positive statements come at a time that could possibly be a turning point in the years-long drought of female voices on country radio. According to recently-released statistics from SongData, only 10% of daily song spins on country radio stations in 2019 were performed by women.

However, 2020 is starting off with Maren Morris’ “The Bones” at the top of the country radio charts for a second week. The feat makes “The Bones” the first multi-week No. 1 by a solo female artist since 2012, representing an eight-year gap between multi-week No. 1s by a solo country female.

Currently, there are a total of five songs by female artists in the Top 20 on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart, though Morris’ is the only one within the Top 10. Ingrid Andress’ “More Hearts Than Mine” sits at No. 12, while Gabby Barrett’s “I Hope” is at No. 14, followed by Carly Pearce’s (with Lee Brice) “I Hope You’re Happy Now” at No. 15, and Kelsea Ballerini’s “Homecoming Queen?” at No. 19.

All of the panelists shared excitement for their favorite female artists, such as Lauren Alaina, Ashley McBryde, Carly Pearce and more.

Chiang referenced “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?,” a song UMG Nashville artist Mickey Guyton performed during the UMG Nashville showcase earlier in the day, earning a standing ovation from the radio programmers in attendance.

“I will play that song today,” Chiang said.

“If you’re not playing Ashley McBryde, wake up,” added Deaton, to thunderous applause from the radio crowd.

Deaton offered his perspective on the lack of new female artists on country radio, saying, “I don’t think it’s just a female artist problem, I think it’s a new artist problem,” drawing applause from the audience.

Chiang agreed that part of the reason for the lack of new female artists—and new artists in general—has been that country radio stations are using “the same old playbook that is 50 years old.”

“When the ratings are down, what’s the first thing we do? We cut the playlists, we stop playing new artists, stop playing new songs. We become a jukebox. We are slaves to [the ratings]. That has an impact on new artists/new female artists. That means we’re competing against other radio stations…that might have been the case 30 years ago but now we are competing against DSPs, Amazon music and so on.”

“I personally think caller research is outdated…when you look at social media you can see how people are streaming, look at Shazam, look at Spotify,” Daniels said. “At Radio Disney Country our goal is to play 60-70% female artists. That doesn’t mean if you are a female artist you just automatically get added. These are good songs by good artists.”

Chiang also questioned the amount of airplay time programmers give to certain songs before they turn to the caller research. “Did you really give the song a chance?,” Chiang asked. “You need to give it 500-600 spins at least to get a real take.” Corey added that songs from females often don’t test as well in research with listeners because though the songs are often “most-added” by stations, those songs will then be played in overnights, with lower listener engagement. “A song that’s played 1,000 times is going to test better than one played 100 times,” he said.

Corey also offered his opinion about separate “female-only” programming.

“I think everything needs to be equal. We were talking backstage about some stations that do specialty female-only shows on Sunday afternoons or whatever. I think that works against what we are trying to do here. When everyone starts doing a female specialty show, that’s where you’re hearing them, but nowhere else, so I think they need to be treated [equally]. Not better, obviously not worse, and I think that’s what’s fair.”

Many on the panel stated that they have heard the unwritten “rule” that radio stations should not play two female artists back-to-back their entire career. None of the panelists indicated that they have such a rule and they all stated they don’t agree that “women don’t want to hear women.”

“We’re in the business of playing hits,” Deaton said.

In the second half of the panel, Marion Kraft, CEO for ShopKeeper Management and longtime manager for superstar Miranda Lambert was featured on the day’s second panel, alongside Damon Moberly (VP, Promotion for Mercury Nashville), and Amazon Music’s Emily Cohen.

Cohen noted the number of voice requests for female country artists on Amazon Music (using Alexa) rose nearly 60% between July 2019 and January 2020.

Kraft laid down the gauntlet, challenging radio programmers to try new things. “We need more shepherds and less sheep,” she said, before asking that programmers make a concerted effort to substantially increase the number of female artists they program into their schedules in 2020.

“We do want to be treated better for just this year. Starting next year, you can treat us the same,” she said, adding, “If you guys don’t have these great females females in your format anymore, you guys are going to be really sad. The fan goes where they play the music they want to hear. If you don’t give them what they want, they have [other] places to go now.”

BREAKING: Tim McGraw Returns To Big Machine Label Group

Tim McGraw has returned to Big Machine Label Group, a rep for the label has confirmed with MusicRow Magazine. McGraw’s return to Big Machine follows his recent exit from Sony Music Nashville. Billboard first reported McGraw’s return to the label.

McGraw was with Scott Borchetta‘s Big Machine Label Group from 2012 until 2017. With Big Machine, he released the albums Damn Country Music, Sundown Heaven Town, and the Gold-certified Two Lanes of Freedom. His Damn Country Music album included the Lori McKenna-penned track “Humble and Kind,” which earned a CMA Award for Song of the Year in 2016, as well as a Grammy for Best Country Song, and an American Music Award for Favorite Country Song. The song was certified 2x multi-Platinum by the RIAA. Two Lanes of Freedom included the No. 1 hits “One Of Those Nights” and “Highway Don’t Care,” featuring Taylor Swift and Keith Urban. Sundown Heaven Town brought the chart-topper “Shotgun Rider.”

McGraw joined the Sony roster in 2017 and released a long-awaited duets album with wife and fellow artist Faith Hill, The Rest of Our Life. Most recently, McGraw released the tracks “Neon Church” and “Thought About You,” and is set to release a new album, Here on Earth.

McGraw’s Here on Earth tour launches July 10 with openers Midland and Ingrid Andress, and includes two stadium shows with Luke Combs.

McGraw has expanded his portfolio of business ventures recently, partnering with Snap Fitness for the TRUMAV line of boutique fitness centers in 2018, and launching the book Grit & Grace: Train the Mind, Train the Body, Own Your Life in November 2019. He also teamed with historian Jon Meacham to co-write Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest and the Music That Made a Nation.

Willie Nelson Covers Songs From Chris Stapleton, Toby Keith On 70th Album

Willie Nelson is releasing his 70th solo studio album, First Rose Of Spring, on Friday, April 24, which falls right before the legend’s 87th birthday on April 29.

The project features 11 new studio tracks and original artwork created by Willie’s son Micah, and was produced by Buddy Cannon, who also penned two new songs on the CD with Nelson, “Blue Star” and “Love Just Laughed.” Alongside his new compositions on the album, Willie also pays tribute to a variety of pop and country writers and performers, interpreting songs penned by Toby Keith (“Don’t Let The Old Man In”), Billy Joe Shaver (“We Are The Cowboys”) and Pete Graves (“Just Bummin’ Around” – a song recorded by Jimmy Dean, Dean Martin and others). Among the writers contributing to the project are Randy Houser, Allen Shamblin, Mark Beeson, Marla Cannon-Goodman, Casey Beathard, and Don Sampson.

A key track on First Rose Of Spring is Willie’s heartfelt rendering of “Our Song,” a new song by Chris Stapleton. Willie Nelson & Family will appear as special guests on Stapleton’s “All-American Roadshow” on two big dates this year: Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas on March 14 and “A Concert for Kentucky” at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky on April 25. The album also includes a moving interpretation of the classic “Yesterday When I Was Young,” which has been recorded by Roy Clark, Bing Crosby, Shirley Bassey, Dusty Springfield, Mel Tormé, Jack Jones, Lena Horne, Andy Williams, Glen Campbell, Julio Iglesias, Johnny Mathis, Elton John and many more.

First Rose Of Spring will be available on CD, vinyl and digital formats as well as part of exclusive merch bundles on Willie’s web store. The album’s title track and the “First Rose Of Spring” music video are being released today.

First Rose Of Spring Track Listing:
1. First Rose Of Spring (Randy Houser, Allen Shamblin & Mark Beeson)
2. Blue Star (Willie Nelson & Buddy Cannon)
3. I’ll Break Out Again Tonight (Sanger Whitey Shafer & Doodle Owens)
4. Don’t Let The Old Man In (Toby Keith)
5. Just Bummin’ Around (Pete Graves)
6. Our Song (Chris Stapleton)
7. We Are The Cowboys (Billy Joe Shaver)
8. Stealing Home (Marla Cannon-Goodman, Casey Beathard & Don Sampson)
9. I’m The Only Hell My Mama Ever Raised (Wayne Kemp, Bobby Borchers & Mack Vickery)
10. Love Just Laughed (Willie Nelson & Buddy Cannon)
11. Yesterday When I Was Young (Hier Encore) (Charles Aznavour & Herbert Kretzmer)

Blake Shelton Added To iHeartCountry Festival Lineup

Blake Shelton has joined the lineup for the upcoming 2020 iHeartCountry Festival Presented by Capital One set for Saturday, May 2 at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin. Joining Shelton on the seventh annual show will be Dierks Bentley, Sam Hunt, Lady Antebellum, Dustin Lynch, Kelsea Ballerini, Kane Brown, Jon Pardi and Chase Rice, Hot Country Knights, Bobby Bones and more.

“I’m excited to join my friends and fellow country artists for my first iHeartCountry Festival performance,” said Shelton. “It’s always a good time playing to Texas crowds and I’m looking forward to an evening of country music and maybe a little vodka to add to the party!”

The star-studded event will livestream exclusively on livexlive.com and broadcast live across iHeartMedia’s country music radio stations in their local markets and at iHeartRadio.com. As the largest country broadcast radio group in America, iHeartCountry has more than 150 country stations across the U.S. and reaches more than 109 million country music listeners per month on broadcast alone.

Tickets are now on sale to the general public via TexasBoxOffice.com.

 

Eric Church Recorded 28 Songs In 28 Days For His Upcoming Project

Pictured (L-R): Lon Helton, Eric Church. Photo: Courtesy AristoMedia

Eric Church revealed that he has been working on new music during an interview with Country Aircheck Publisher/CEO & Host of Westwood One’s Country Countdown USA, Lon Helton at CRS yesterday (Feb. 20).

Church said that following his 2018 Desperate Man album and his 2019 Double Down Tour, he felt the need to push himself further, creatively. He challenged himself to write and record 28 songs in 28 days. Instead of recording his new project at Jay Joyce’s Neon Cross studio in Nashville, Church decamped to Banner Elk, North Carolina, converted a restaurant into a studio, brought out his band and some songwriters and got to writing.

“I felt like it was time to do something nuts,” Church said with a grin. “I would write a song in the morning, we would cut it that night. We removed all the barriers about what people think of the song, and just let it be the most creative thing that day, chase that as hard as you can, and move on. For me, it’s as far out there as I have gotten, creatively. I couldn’t shut it off.”

Pictured (L-R): Lon Helton, Eric Church. Photo: Courtesy AristoMedia

Church talked about a generator—or “genny,” as his crew referred to it—going out and how that inspired the song that he previewed about a girl named, “Jenny.”

“I think by getting that far out there, it really opened up some really great stuff creatively,” Church said. “My antenna was up. Looking back at what came out of it, it was exactly what had to happen.”

John Pierce Signs With Universal Music Publishing Nashville

(L-R): David Crow, Missy Roberts, Cyndi Forman, Terry Wakefield, John Pierce, Troy Tomlinson, Ron Stuve and Travis Gordon

John Pierce has signed an exclusive, worldwide publishing agreement with Universal Music Publishing Nashville.

Pierce has had songs recorded by Chris Young, Jon Pardi, Lainey Wilson, Reba McEntire and Trace Adkins, and was a co-writer on the No. 1 hit “Sweet Annie” for Zac Brown.

“John is on such an upward trajectory with his writing and we are thrilled to be representing him at UMPG. His lyric and melody instincts are on point for today’s country market,” said Terry Wakefield, SVP of A&R, UMPG.

“Beyond excited to begin this next chapter with Terry Wakefield, Troy Tomlinson and the entire staff at Universal,” says Pierce. “They are the kind of music publisher every songwriter hopes to have in their career. I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together.”

Weekly Radio Report (2/21/20)

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Miranda Lambert Discusses Hit Songs And Career Longevity At CRS

Pictured (L-R): Miranda Lambert, Cindy Watts. Photo: Courtesy AristoMedia

Miranda Lambert, the Academy of Country Music’s most-awarded artist, sat down with The Tennessean reporter-turned-The AMG’s Manager of Corporate Communications Cindy Watts to discuss her journey to her latest album, Wildcard, and the last two decades that shaped it yesterday (Feb. 19) at CRS.

Watts guided Lambert through a series of questions leading up to the making of her seventh album Wildcard, which released in November. Lambert performed an acoustic version of “Dark Bars” and “How Dare You Love” to end the interview.

Lambert reflected on her high school days, when she was very shy but went before her school board to start the school choir at Lindale High School. That very same choir performed with her recently at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

“I was in drama club so I sang in the musicals and stuff. I tried out for cheerleading my sophomore year and didn’t make it… I didn’t nail my back handsprings, it was very devastating,” Lamber joked. “My mom said, ‘You know, you can sing, so maybe it’s not good to be yelling in 30-degree weather every Friday,’ which was kind of smart on her part. So I thought, ‘What am I going to do?’ I wasn’t very good at anything else. So my mom and I started a petition to get a choir. Again, I was so shy, I didn’t want to talk to people or anything, but I went in front of the school board and explained why I thought it was important to include singers in all of these high school activities that were so praised. They agreed and the first day we had a choir, 65 kids signed up. So that was pretty telling.”

Lambert also talked about finding her personality and leaving the shyness behind on stage at a bar, during a talent contest.

“I was like, ‘Oh, this is what it is.’ There’s like smoke and neon. That was the point where I got addicted right away,” she said. “I ended up getting the house gig at that bar when I turned 17. I had the gig for four months, three nights a week, for four hours sets and made $200. It’s where I started to get my chops. It’s where I started to realize what all this was about.”

After getting third place on Nashville Star, Lambert was guided by Tracy Gershon to her first label deal. It was then that she handpicked Frank Liddell to produce her records. Together the two made six essential Lambert albums. For Wildcard, Lambert needed something new creatively.

“I had meetings with Frank Liddell and we decided that we weren’t in the same spot, creatively, and he gave me permission to go find what I needed. I knew that was Jay Joyce. And so I think there’s magic in new energy when you need to find a creative way to re-make yourself. And when you have somebody new, you have a different kind of energy and nervousness and I think that worked in our advantage,” she said.

Pictured (L-R): Miranda Lambert, Cindy Watts. Photo: Courtesy AristoMedia

With a house of radio executives in the house, Lambert talked about what radio means in her career.

“I mean it feels good to have your song go to the top of the chart. That’s not the case in my career very often,” she said. “It’s interesting because I’ve had a career based on songs, not hits. As much as we pay attention because we’re in our bubble, the crowd doesn’t know that that ‘Gunpowder’ went to No. 9 or that ‘Little Red Wagon’ went to No. 11, nor do they care. Nor do I care as long as they hear it. I can’t play shows if I’m not heard. Still to this day, I need for people hear my new music. They’ve seen me several times in every city and when they’re weighing out, ‘Do I want to go see Luke Combs or Miranda? I’ve seen her several times, and he’s new and great,’  and they have money to get one ticket, it’s nice to have a new song or seven that you can promote.”

Pictured: Miranda Lambert. Photo: Courtesy AristoMedia

Reba McEntire Returns To Universal Music Group Nashville

Pictured (L-R, front row): UMG Nashville Chairman/CEO Mike Dungan, Reba McEntire, UMG Nashville President Cindy Mabe; (L-R, back row): UMG Nashville EVP/COO Mike Harris, Maverick’s Clarence Spalding, UMG Nashville EVP Promotion Royce Risser, UMG Nashville EVP A&R Brian Wright. Photo: Chris Hollo

Country superstar Reba McEntire announced today (Feb. 20) that she will return to her original label home, Universal Music Group Nashville, where she spent the first 32 years of her famed career. During her time on both Mercury and MCA Records, two of the four labels that form Universal Music Group Nashville, Reba saw 33 of her 35 career singles hit No. 1 and sold over 56 million albums worldwide. Reba performed at the CRS Team UMG At The Ryman Luncheon this afternoon.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to be back with the family where I started,” shares Reba. “I am thrilled because my catalog is here at Universal and I’m really excited to revisit all the songs that I recorded many years ago. We’re going to have a lot of fun.”

“At a time when our music, our community and our artists need a bright guiding light, Reba returning to the place where it all started is a great testament to her continuing impact and her powerful musical legacy and we are so proud she’s coming home,” says UMG Nashville President Cindy Mabe. “Reba is a music icon who changed culture and paved her own path by making strong empowering musical statements throughout her career through her songs, her videos, her fashion, her shows and her persona. She’s inspired so many generations of fans and there is so much more impact to be made. It is our honor and privilege to get to collaborate and grow the future of Reba’s musical career.”

It was also announced that on March 20th, Reba will hit the road on her first headlining arena tour since 2011. Rising singer/songwriter Caylee Hammack is set to join her for the dozen stops. Reba will also continue her residency with Brooks & Dunn at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas with 24 new dates through December.

For a full list of tour dates, news and more, visit www.reba.com.