Kip Moore. Photo: Jeff Schroeder
After 20 concerts in 14 states, Kip Moore ended his headlining After The Sunburn Tour with a sold-out show Saturday night (Nov. 17) at Nashville’s War Memorial Auditorium with friends Jillian Jacqueline and Jordan Davis.
Opener Jacqueline has not been on a Nashville stage, outside of CMA Fest, in over two years, but she was not lacking fans at Saturday’s performance. The crowd was enthusiastic and welcomed Jacqueline as she kicked off the night with “Shady.” Her most popular song of the night was her radio single “Reasons.” She finished her set with “God Bless This Mess” saying, “This song is my way of telling myself to keep going. Hopefully, you feel something in this one.”
Louisiana native Davis took the stage next with several selections off of his debut album Home State, such as “Tough To Tie Down,” “Slow Dance In A Parking Lot” and “Leaving New Orleans.” He included a rocking cover of “Hard To Handle” by The Black Crowes and slowed things down with “When You Say Nothing At All” by Keith Whitley. He ended his set with his No. 1 hit “Singles You Up” and current single “Take It From Me.”
“I don’t know two better people in the music business to be out playing music with than those two right there,” Davis telegraphed the camaraderie he has with Jacqueline and Moore when he joined them towards the end of Moore’s set for a great rendition of “The Weight” by The Band.
Prior to the main act, fans enjoyed a crowd performance of “Bohemian Rhapsody” thanks to enthusiastic fans in the balcony, even receiving applause from all the entertained concert goers.
Moore celebrated his final date on the After the Sunburn Tour by bringing his passion and love for his craft to his fans in Nashville. He began with two songs from his SLOWHEART album, “I’ve Been Around” and “Sunburn.” He then fell back on his Top 10 hit “Beer Money” to carry the energy as he played several more of his earlier songs including “Up All Night” and “Wild Ones.” He then played the first two songs from SLOWHEART with “I Plead the Fifth” and “Just Another Girl” and his current Top 10 single “Last Shot.”
During his performance of “Backseat,” Moore stopped and said, “I got to admit, tonight I am feeling a little awkward playing this song with my mom in the crowd somewhere. It just don’t feel right tonight, so y’all got to help me out.” The crowd, and his bandmates, were more than happy to help out at any point in the night, knowing all the words.
Kip Moore at Nashville’s War Memorial Auditorium. Photo: Jeff Schroeder
Moore went on to say later in the night, “I always had these big dreams of playing a room like this. I never thought about money or fame; I thought about being free, writing songs and everybody pulling something from that. To have a night like this where y’all sing back my album cuts, is all I ever gave a shit about.”
To show his appreciation of his fans, he began an acoustic set by saying, “It’s that time of night where I really don’t know what I’m gonna play; I kinda just see what I feel like y’all know.” He played fan-picked “Dirt Road” and others including “Magic” “Heart’s Desire” and “That’s Alright With Me.” He was joined onstage by his band for his No. 1 hit “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck.”
The encore brought “The Weight,” where his was joined by supporting acts Jacqueline and Davis, as well as a verse and chorus of “Tennessee Boy” from Moore’s recently released Room To Spare: The Acoustic Sessions EP.
Moore concluded the night with one of his favorite songs he wrote, “Guitar Man,” in the way he originally wrote it. “I wrote this thing at about 2 ‘o’clock in the morning after watching a guy do what I did for so many years. Thank y’all so much for the love that you showed us tonight. We really appreciate it.”
Ashley Gorley Enters Top 5, Kevin Welch Preserves Top Spot On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
/by LB CantrellIt’s a good time to be Ashley Gorley. Last week he was honored as ASCAP’s Country Songwriter of the Year for the sixth time; this week he moves up 13 slots to No. 5 on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart. The songs that drive him are Chase Rice’s “Eyes On You,” Chris Lane’s “I Don’t Know About You,” Eli Young Band’s “Love Ain’t,” Lee Brice’s “Rumor” and Luke Bryan’s “What Makes You Country.”
Ashley Gorley accepts the Songwriter of the Year award. Photo: Ed Rode
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 recent addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.
Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.
The Recording Academy Shifts Membership Model
/by Jessica NicholsonThe Recording Academy has launched a new community-driven, peer-reviewed membership model in order to create a more representative, diverse membership.
The new member submission program shifts to an annual cycle and will now include two new elements: industry recommendations and peer review. Going forward, in addition to meeting the Recording Academy’s basic requirements, each new member submission must include two professional recommendations in order to be considered for membership.
Additionally, a Peer Review Panel of music creators will convene each spring to evaluate all new member submissions and will consider a range of criteria—including craft, genre, and overall diversity—in determining whom to invite into the Recording Academy. The move to an annual review cycle will enable the Recording Academy to look at both its existing membership base and prospective submissions, and be thoughtful about how each individual new member decision stands to shape the collective body.
The move follows earlier efforts to diversify the Recording Academy’s membership body, including the previously-launched Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion, which invited 900 music creators to become voting members to effect immediate change in advance of the 61st annual Grammy Awards.
“The GRAMMY Awards® are already renowned for being a peer-awarded honor, and our new membership model further reinforces that peer-driven commitment to excellence,” said Laura Segura Mueller, Vice President of Membership & Industry Relations. “Membership is the lifeblood of the Recording Academy and a privilege we strive to uphold. Our new membership model puts the power in the hands of the music community and is designed to build an active, representative membership base that reflects our broader culture. By changing the process to Recording Academy membership, we remain committed to setting a positive example for the music industry as a whole.”
Carrie Underwood Celebrates “Pretty” RIAA Certifications
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): The HQ’s Ann Edelblute, UMGN EVP Promotion Royce Risser, UMGN President Cindy Mabe, UMGN COO Mike Harris, Carrie Underwood, UMGN Chairman & CEO Mike Dungan, UMGN EVP A&R Brian Wright. Photo: Donn Jones
UMG Nashville executives surprised Carrie Underwood last week during CMA Awards rehearsals, with a plaque commemorating the RIAA Gold Certifications of her Cry Pretty album and “Cry Pretty” single.
Released Sept. 14, Cry Pretty is the biggest all-genre debut by a female in 2018. The critically-acclaimed album also debuted at No. 1 on both the Billboard 200 and Top Country Album Charts, making Underwood the only woman in history to land four country albums on the top of the all-genre Billboard 200 chart.
Thomas Rhett’s Very Hot Summer Tour To Launch In May
/by Lorie HollabaughInitial ticket sales are scheduled for Nov. 30 via thomasrhett.com, and fans can also purchase tickets for additional select cities beginning Friday, Jan. 25 as part of Live Nation’s Country Megaticket. Additional dates will continue to roll out over the coming weeks.
“We literally just closed out our 2018 tour in the U.K. last week and I’m already thinking about next year’s tour,” said Thomas Rhett. “I’m glad we have the winter to plan and come up with some crazy stuff for next year because I can’t think of a better way to spend the summer than out on the road with my fans. And, I get to bring my dad and two of my favorite artists in country music along for the ride.”
2019 Very Hot Summer Tour Dates:
5/17 Spokane, WA**
5/18 Tacoma, WA**
5/25 Orange Beach, AL
5/26 Orange Beach, AL
6/13 Virginia Beach, VA
6/14 Charlotte, NC
6/15 Bristow, VA
6/20 Detroit, MI
6/21 Indianapolis, IN
6/28 Dallas, TX
6/29 Houston, TX
7/11 Toronto, ON
7/12 Pittsburgh, PA
7/19 Darien Center, NY
7/20 Hershey, PA
8/1 Philadelphia, PA
8/2 Boston, MA
8/3 Holmdel, NJ
8/8 Raleigh, NC
8/9 Cincinnati, OH
8/10 Atlanta, GA
8/15 Rogers, AR
8/16 Southaven, MS
8/17 Birmingham, AL
9/5 Sioux Falls, SD
9/6 Des Moines, IA
9/7 St. Paul, MN
9/12 Kansas City, MO
9/13 St. Louis, MO
9/14 Chicago, IL
9/19 Bridgeport, CT
9/20 New York, NY
9/21 Albany, NY
10/3 Greenville, SC
10/4 Jacksonville, TN
10/5 Orlando, FL
10/10 Knoxville, TN
10/11 Louisville, KY
10/12 Nashville, TN
**Shows without Russell Dickerson and Rhett Akins
Kip Moore Wraps After The Sunburn Tour In Nashville
/by Alex ParryKip Moore. Photo: Jeff Schroeder
After 20 concerts in 14 states, Kip Moore ended his headlining After The Sunburn Tour with a sold-out show Saturday night (Nov. 17) at Nashville’s War Memorial Auditorium with friends Jillian Jacqueline and Jordan Davis.
Opener Jacqueline has not been on a Nashville stage, outside of CMA Fest, in over two years, but she was not lacking fans at Saturday’s performance. The crowd was enthusiastic and welcomed Jacqueline as she kicked off the night with “Shady.” Her most popular song of the night was her radio single “Reasons.” She finished her set with “God Bless This Mess” saying, “This song is my way of telling myself to keep going. Hopefully, you feel something in this one.”
Louisiana native Davis took the stage next with several selections off of his debut album Home State, such as “Tough To Tie Down,” “Slow Dance In A Parking Lot” and “Leaving New Orleans.” He included a rocking cover of “Hard To Handle” by The Black Crowes and slowed things down with “When You Say Nothing At All” by Keith Whitley. He ended his set with his No. 1 hit “Singles You Up” and current single “Take It From Me.”
“I don’t know two better people in the music business to be out playing music with than those two right there,” Davis telegraphed the camaraderie he has with Jacqueline and Moore when he joined them towards the end of Moore’s set for a great rendition of “The Weight” by The Band.
Prior to the main act, fans enjoyed a crowd performance of “Bohemian Rhapsody” thanks to enthusiastic fans in the balcony, even receiving applause from all the entertained concert goers.
Moore celebrated his final date on the After the Sunburn Tour by bringing his passion and love for his craft to his fans in Nashville. He began with two songs from his SLOWHEART album, “I’ve Been Around” and “Sunburn.” He then fell back on his Top 10 hit “Beer Money” to carry the energy as he played several more of his earlier songs including “Up All Night” and “Wild Ones.” He then played the first two songs from SLOWHEART with “I Plead the Fifth” and “Just Another Girl” and his current Top 10 single “Last Shot.”
During his performance of “Backseat,” Moore stopped and said, “I got to admit, tonight I am feeling a little awkward playing this song with my mom in the crowd somewhere. It just don’t feel right tonight, so y’all got to help me out.” The crowd, and his bandmates, were more than happy to help out at any point in the night, knowing all the words.
Kip Moore at Nashville’s War Memorial Auditorium. Photo: Jeff Schroeder
Moore went on to say later in the night, “I always had these big dreams of playing a room like this. I never thought about money or fame; I thought about being free, writing songs and everybody pulling something from that. To have a night like this where y’all sing back my album cuts, is all I ever gave a shit about.”
To show his appreciation of his fans, he began an acoustic set by saying, “It’s that time of night where I really don’t know what I’m gonna play; I kinda just see what I feel like y’all know.” He played fan-picked “Dirt Road” and others including “Magic” “Heart’s Desire” and “That’s Alright With Me.” He was joined onstage by his band for his No. 1 hit “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck.”
The encore brought “The Weight,” where his was joined by supporting acts Jacqueline and Davis, as well as a verse and chorus of “Tennessee Boy” from Moore’s recently released Room To Spare: The Acoustic Sessions EP.
Moore concluded the night with one of his favorite songs he wrote, “Guitar Man,” in the way he originally wrote it. “I wrote this thing at about 2 ‘o’clock in the morning after watching a guy do what I did for so many years. Thank y’all so much for the love that you showed us tonight. We really appreciate it.”
Roy Clark Celebration Of Life Memorial Set For Wednesday
/by Lorie HollabaughRoy Clark
A celebration of life has been set for Roy Clark, who passed away last week from complications due to pneumonia. The memorial celebration will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 21 at 11 a.m. CT at Rhema Bible Church at 1025 W Kenosha Street in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. The celebration of life memorial will be open to the public, and will be streamed at rhema.org as well as on Rhema Bible Church’s Facebook Page.
A private, invitation-only visitation for family, friends and fellow performers will take place Tuesday evening. Please call 1-833-537-2911 x800 for time and location. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that all contributions be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. For several years, Clark headlined a golf tournament for St. Jude’s, where a floor was named in his honor.
“I see a lot of celebrities come to St. Jude, and you know what’s in a person’s heart by how they entertain the children,” said hospital CEO David McKee. “He was truly touched by the kids, not the cameras.”
Kane Brown’s ‘Experiment’ Debuts At No. 1 On ‘Billboard’ Top 200 Chart
/by Jessica NicholsonKane Brown’s sophomore album, Experiment, debuted No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart this week with 124,000 units.
The album marks only the third country album of 2018 to debut atop the Billboard 200 chart, following Carrie Underwood’s Cry Pretty and Jason Aldean’s Rearview Town. The album also makes Brown the only male country artist in 24 years to debut atop the Billboard 200 with a sophomore release; the previous occurrence came in 1994, with Tim McGraw’s Not A Moment Too Soon.
The top-shelf album debut follows several career sales milestones for Brown, including the quadruple Platinum single “What Ifs” (ft. Lauren Alaina), triple-Platinum “Heaven,” and a Platinum-certified debut album.
With Kane Brown and now Experiment, Brown has spent 11 weeks in 2018 atop the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.
Taylor Swift Signs With Universal Music Group
/by Jessica NicholsonTaylor Swift
Taylor Swift signed a global recording agreement with Universal Music Group (UMG). Under the multi-year agreement, UMG will serve as the exclusive worldwide recorded music partner for Swift and UMG’s Republic Records will serve as her label partner in the U.S. Swift was previously signed with Big Machine Records.
In a social media post, Swift noted that she will own all of her recorded masters going forward. “It’s also incredibly exciting to know that I’ll own all of my master recordings that I make from now on. It’s really important for me to see eye to eye with a label regarding the future of our industry,” she said.
Swift noted that as part of the new UMG agreement, any sale of their Spotify shares will result in a distribution of monies to their artists, non-recoupable.
She also shared love and gratitude for Big Machine Records’ Scott Borchetta “for believing in me as a 14-year-old and guiding me through over a decade of work that I will always be so proud of. I’m extremely grateful to get to do what I love, especially with the people that I’ve been fortunate enough to work with.”
The new UMG multi-album agreement, effective immediately, deepens the relationship between Swift and UMG and builds upon the enormous success she achieved with Big Machine Records—the label whose long-term strategic alliance with Republic Records first brought Swift into the UMG family. A 10-time Grammy winner distinguished as the youngest-ever recipient of the Grammy for Album of the Year—and the first female solo artist to win the award twice—is the only artist in history with four albums with sales of more than one million copies in their first week of release (2010’s Speak Now, 2012’s RED, 2014’s 1989 and 2017’s reputation), respectively.
In making the announcement, Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group, said, “Few artists in history approach Taylor Swift’s combination of massive global hits and creative brilliance. She is so multi-talented, she can achieve anything. I have such enormous respect for Taylor, in particular for her use of her hard-earned influence to promote positive change. Because of her commitment to her fellow artists, not only did she want to partner with a company that understood her creative vision and had the resources and expertise to execute globally on her behalf, she also sought a partner whose approach to artists was aligned with hers. With these shared beliefs, there is so much we can accomplish together, and all of us at UMG are enormously proud to be embarking on the next chapter of her career alongside her.”
Monte Lipman, founder and CEO, of Republic Records said, “Taylor has not only captured the imagination of an entire generation, but has also redefined the paradigm of the modern music industry. Her commitment to songwriting and performing has earned her the respect of her peers and millions of adoring fans around the world. I can only imagine what Taylor is capable of achieving in the years to come, both culturally and creatively. I’m beyond thrilled to create an alliance with Republic Records and the incomparable Taylor Swift.”
BMG Signs Matt Roy To Pub Deal
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Matt Cottingham, Ritholz Levy Fields LLP; Carrie Murphy, WME; Rakiyah Marshall, Creative Director, BMG Nashville; Courtney Allen, Creative Director, BMG Nashville ; Matt Roy; Kos Weaver, EVP, BMG Nashville; Leslie Roberts, BMI; Adi Sharma, WME
Singer-songwriter Matt Roy has signed a new publishing agreement with BMG in Nashville. The 22-year-old Belmont University graduate penned “Pull It Off,” featured on Kane Brown’s Platinum-certified self-titled debut project, as well as “Refill” from Adam Doleac’s debut EP.
Roy, a Glen Rock, New Jersey native, began playing the guitar at eight years old and was performing by 12. As a teenager he started playing country music and also found a passion for songwriting. Roy moved to Music City full-time in 2014 and has been writing and performing ever since.
In Pictures: Anacrusis Sync Camp, Tracy Lawrence, Ty Herndon
/by Jessica NicholsonAnacrusis Hosts Sync Songwriting Camp In Nashville
Pictured: (back L-R) Michael Gross (Me Knowing The Truth), Chris Alan Lee (Independent Music Supervisor), Aislinn Tucker (Anacrusis), Jake Wesley Rogers, Cyle Barnes of The Weeks, Tuxedo Wildlife, Katy Gavillet (FOX), Nick Brophy, (middle L-R) Liz Rogers (Anacrusis), Sam Williams of The Weeks, Sam Tinnesz, Shannon Murphy (Format), Marielle Jade Te (Hit The Ground Running), (sitting L-R) Lyndsie Chlowitz (Disney), Whissell, Emily Vaughn, Trove.
Last week, Anacrusis hosted a writing camp in Nashville, focused on writing for sync opportunities. The group was comprised of 12 talented Nashville-based artists, writers, and producers, and 6 music supervisors, including executives from Disney, Fox, and the Marvel franchise films.
The writers were paired up and given briefs from the music supervisors each morning to write for specific, current projects. The supervisors then joined in on the sessions, once at the beginning, and again in the middle, to give feedback on things like lyrical themes and production, ideally helping craft something that they could use. In a 3-hour session, the groups were able to write, record, and finish one song completely. The writing sessions took place at Kobalt, and on the final day, ended with a dinner and listening party at Anacrusis where all of the songs from the camp were heard for the first time.
The writing camp was also in conjunction with “An Evening with Music Supervisors” at City Winery, presented by WHO KNEW. This event was open to the public, and has sold out every year, this year being no different. At City Winery, the audience members got to hear from the 6 music supervisors about their jobs and what they are looking for, as well as see all of the artists perform. The showcasing artists included Jake Wesley Rogers, Sam Tinnesz, The Weeks, Trove, Whissell, Tuxedo Wildlife, Mokita, and more.
Tracy Lawrence Visits SiriusXM’s Prime Country
Tracy Lawrence with SiriusXM’s Storme Warren.
Tracy Lawrence appeared on Sirius XM’s Prime Country, Radio Channel 58, on Friday (Nov. 16) to promote his 13th annual Mission:Possible Turkey Fry. The Nashville event will be held Nov. 20 at the Nashville Rescue Mission, and provides hundreds of meals for the underserved in the Metro Nashville and Middle Tennessee areas. Following the turkey fry, a concert will be held at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon, featuring Lawrence along with Eric Paslay, Doug McCormick, Halfway to Hazard, and more.
Ty Herndon Performs As Part Of Music City Wedding
Ty Herndon performs in Nashville.
Ty Herndon made a surprise appearance in Nashville Saturday evening (Nov. 3) performing at a high-profile wedding event at The Frist Museum for the Abel-Minatrea wedding. Herndon is a family friend of the bride, Olivia Abel, and the groom, Jason Minatrea, is a big fan of the country singer citing Herndon as his very first concert ever attended.
Guests were treated to many surprises throughout the evening. The ceremony was performed in Nashville’s historic Union Station where the verandah was magically transformed into Harry Potter’s train station Platform 9 ¾ complete with train conductor and the couple had a live owl fly in to deliver the rings during the ceremony as the official “Wing Bearer.” The Bride’s two fathers Larry Abel and Raymond McCallister, nationally award-winning event planners (Abel+McCallister+Abel) walked the Bride down the aisle together.
Music Director Wayne Haun brought in the YouTube sensation and country group 4th & Main for the world debut of the song “I Prayed For You,” specially written for the Bride and Groom, Olivia and Jason.
Groom Jason, Bride Olivia, and Ty Herndon.