ole/Red Dot Signs Scott Stevens

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Pictured (L-R): Alex Tamashunas (ole’s Creative/Label Services Coordinator), Jenn Tressler (L3 Entertainment), Neil Vance (L3 Entertainment), Scott Stevens, John Ozier (ole’s VP, Creative), Pete Hartung (L3 Entertainment), Lauren Lieu (ole’s Sr. Creative Coordinator)

ole has inked a global, 360-degree deal with singer-songwriter Scott Stevens, signing him to its red dot label. The deal includes exclusive publishing and recording rights, and administration of all properties on YouTube, with all releases to come via ole label group’s red dot imprint.

“Scott Stevens is the real deal. He’s an incredible songwriter and artist, and I know we’re going to have a great run together. Scott already has a great team around him, so we’re thankful that ole is a part of it,” said John Ozier, ole’s Vice President, Creative.

Stevens said, “I’m fired up to have the support of a company like ole. They see my vision both as a writer and an artist and they aren’t afraid to venture off the beaten path a bit. That’s the only type of people I need on my team. I think we’re all ready to show everyone what we’ve been up to!”

Stevens grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee. His mother led the church choir, and his father played with the Talking Heads and Joe Walsh of the Eagles. His current single, “Sounds Like Us,” has been streamed over 620,000 times on Spotify. Stevens is managed by Pete Hartung, Neil Vance and Jenn Tressler from L3 Entertainment whose other clients include Justin Moore, Tyler Rich, Leah Turner and Heath Sanders.

Stevens will release a series of singles throughout the remainder of 2018 and into 2019.

Jay Leno, Jeff Foxworthy To Perform At Nashville’s Opry House

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Jay Leno, Jeff Foxworthy

Comedic dynamos Jay Leno and Jeff Foxworthy will team for a joint show at Nashville’s Opry House on April 14, 2019. The unprecedented performance will mark the first time the two powerhouses have shared the stage.

Leno served as the host of NBC’s The Tonight Show With Jay Leno from 1992-2009; he then ran the NBC talk show The Jay Leno Show from 2009-2010, before returning to host The Tonight Show With Jay Leno from 2010-2014. That same year, he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. He currently hosts his Jay Leno’s Garage online.

Foxworthy has been part of eight comedy albums, and is known for his signature “You Might Be A Redneck If…” jokes, as well as his work as part of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour alongside Bill Engvall, Larry the Cable Guy, and Ron White.

“These two legends, Jay Leno and Jeff Foxworthy, have never shared a stage together,” notes Outback Concerts’ David Bastidos. “We couldn’t be more excited to be the ones to make it happen and bring these two comedy icons to the great city of Nashville for our annual Nashville Comedy Festival.”

The show will begin at 6 p.m. CT on April 14. Tickets go on sale Monday, Nov. 12 at 10 a.m. CT at ticketmaster.com, the Opry House box office, Ryman Auditorium box office and all ticketmaster outlets.

Music Row Entertainment Law Firm Adds Partners, Rebrands As Milom Horsnell Crow Kelley Beckett Shehan

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Pictured (L-R): Mike Milom, David Crow, Molly Shehan, Page Kelley, Chris Horsnell, Matthew Beckett. Photo: Five Folds Creative

Music Row law firm, Milom Horsnell Crow Kelley has named Matthew Beckett and Molly Shehan as partners, resulting in the firm’s rebranding to Milom Horsnell Crow Kelley Beckett Shehan PLC (MHCKBS).

“Chris, David, Page and I are excited to have Matthew join us as a partner and to have Molly assume the responsibilities of a partner,” said founding partner Mike Milom. “Adding Matthew and Molly to our team assures that we can continue to provide the highly personalized counsel and quick response that our clients expect.”

Milom oversees several of the firm’s longstanding client relationships, including country band Alabama (37 years) and Ricky Skaggs (36 years), as well as longterm partnerships with Rascal Flatts (16 years) and Luke Bryan (14 years).

MHCKBS draws on more than 45 years of entertainment law experience, including work in music publishing, recorded music and copyright protection. In recent years, MHCKBS has expanded its national and international practice to include the areas of media and technology. The firm also provides complete trademark and brand protection services to its clients.

Additional MHCKBS clients include Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini, Brett Eldredge, Emmylou Harris, Hank Williams, Jr., and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

DISClaimer: Blake Shelton Tops New Tracks With “Tequila Sheila” Remake

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This is evidently a week for song craftsmanship.

There are a number of releases here that go way beyond wallpaper music. Joy Williams’ “Canary,” Tim McGraw’s “Gravity,” Devin Dawson’s “Dark Horse” and Ty Herndon’s revival of “Walking in Memphis” are all songs that command respect.

Topping them all is Blake Shelton, reminding us how many clever rhymes there are for the word “Sheila,” thanks to Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame members Shel Silverstein and Mac Davis. This audio tickler is our Disc of the Day.

Blake is closely trailed by labelmates Dawson and Cale Dodds, the latter of whom brings a bucket load of happy in his bopping tune.

JOY WILLIAMS/Canary
Writers: Joy Williams/Caitlyn Smith/Angelo Petraglia; Producer: none listed; Publishers: Eleven Eleven, no performance rights listed; JW
– Formerly a CCM artist and half of the acclaimed Americana duo The Civil Wars, Williams has a haunting new track. Over rippling guitars, she soars into her upper soprano while delivering a lyric of singing strongly, even when you’re shadowed with the cold chill of being the canary in the mine.

CARLY PEARCE/Closer To You
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Big Machine
-Sweetly romantic. Sunny and bright.

CHUCK WICKS/Better Than Flowers
Writers: Chuck Wicks/Jeffrey East/Michael Lotten; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; CW
– Sexy pop country. He’s promising love for hours and something that’s more than an overnight fling while guitars ring in an echo chamber.

BLAKE SHELTON/Tequila Sheila
Writers: Shel Silverstein/Mac Davis; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; BS
– We all hail the greatness that is Bobby Bare. Penultimate country vocalist Blake Shelton has the ideal pipes to show his love on this toe-tapping remake of Bare’s rowdy 1980 classic. A delightful song, delightfully delivered. Love the Latin guitar licks, too.

YouTube video

 

TY HERNDON/Walking In Memphis
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; TH
– The Marc Cohn pop classic from 1991 gets a revved-up, dance-floor remake. Ty’s still a country singer, and his vocal is mixed front and center. Although the track is rhythm happy, it’s not so electronic that you couldn’t spin it alongside most other pop-country outings. Catchy, to say the least.

TIM MCGRAW/Gravity
Writers: McGraw/Lori McKenna; Producers: McGraw/Byron Gallimore; Publisher: none listed; Columbia/Tim McGraw
– Created for the soundtrack of the film Free Solo, this ballad is an uplifting orchestral ode to perseverance and belief. Luxuriously produced. I remain an enormous fan, all these years later.

CALE DODDS/Where I Get It From
Writers: Cale Dodds/Sarah Buxton/Corey Crowder/Jared Mullins; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Warner Bros.
– A down-home, Southern frolic with a stuttering beat and rapid-fire lyrics. Fun with a capital “F.” This fellow has charm to spare.

COLE SWINDELL/Love You Too Late
Writers: Brandon Lynn Kinney/Michael Carter/Cole Swindell; Producer: none listed; Publishers: Peermusic/Sony-ATV, no performance rights listed; Warner Bros.
– She’s out having a blast while he’s wallowing in misery. Nevertheless, the track rocks ridiculously.

YouTube video

 

DEVIN DAWSON/Dark Horse
Writers: Dawson/Andy Albert/Andrew DeRoberts; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Atlantic
– A song for outsiders everywhere. The echoey atmosphere and his affecting voice are both superb vehicles for the message of alienation. Poignant and potent. Give this your undivided attention.

DOLLY PARTON/Girl In The Movies
Writers: Dolly Parton/Linda Perry; Producer: Perry; Publisher: none listed; RCA
– This is from the soundtrack to the forthcoming film Dumplin.’ It’s a wistful, soft ballad about dreaming big, shiny dreams. The woman is an American Treasure. She’s been nominated for a best-song Oscar twice before (for “9 To 5” and “Travelin’ Through”). Could the third time be the charm?

UMG Nashville Signs Caylee Hammack

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Pictured (L-R) Front: UMG Nashville Chairman & CEO Mike Dungan, Caylee Hammack, UMG Nashville President Cindy Mabe. Back Row (L-R): UMG Nashville VP Business and Legal Affairs Rob Femia, Attorney T.D. Ruth, UMG Nashville Executive VP Promotion Royce Risser, Red Light Management’s Mary Hilliard Harrington, UMPG Nashville VP/Creative Cyndi Forman, UMG Nashville Executive Vice President A&R Brian Wright

Universal Music Group Nashville has signed singer/songwriter Caylee Hammack. A native of Ellaville, Georgia, Hammack moved to Nashville at age 19 and talked her way into gigs on Lower Broadway at night while trying to break into the songwriter community during the day.

She signed a publishing deal in 2016 with Universal Music Publishing Group as the youngest writer on their roster and went on to win the ASCAP Foundation’s Sammy Cahn Award, which is given to a promising and aspiring lyricist. She is represented by Red Light Management’s Mary Hilliard Harrington and Jay Williams/Joey Lee at WME.

To commemorate signing her first record deal, Hammack used an antique quill pen originally used when her grandparents signed their marriage certificate over 50 years ago. Known for her mix of clever lyrics and haunting melodies, she is currently in the studio working on her debut album.

Nominees Revealed For CRS 2019 New Faces Of Country Music Show

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Voting for the CRS 2019 New Faces of Country Music Dinner and Show lineup opens next Thursday, Nov. 15, at 10 a.m. CST to all country radio station employees.

Voting will remain open through the end of day (11:59 p.m. CST), Friday, Nov. 23 at countryradioseminar.com. The five acts with the most votes will make up the lineup for the show.

This year’s performer nominees are Jimmie Allen (Stoney Creek), Jordan Davis (MCA), Russell Dickerson (Triple Tigers), Lindsay Ell (Stoney Creek), Morgan Evans (Warner Bros./WEA), Riley Green (BMLGR), Walker Hayes (Monument/Arista), LANCO (Arista), Chris Lane (Big Loud), Dylan Scott (Curb), Mitchell Tenpenny (Riser House/Columbia), Morgan Wallen (Big Loud), and Aaron Watson (BIG Label).

Any full-time employee of a commercial, 24-hour country formatted radio station may vote for the 2019 New Faces of Country Music Show performers. Votes must be cast from voter’s station email in order to be verified and successfully cast.

The New Faces of Country Music Show will be held during CRS 2019, at the Omni Nashville Hotel. Country Radio Seminar and Country Aircheck sponsor the evening’s awards. The New Faces of Country Music Show is co-sponsored by the Academy of Country Music and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and is one of the most anticipated events at Country Radio Seminar. Five emerging artists who have achieved significant success at Country radio during the qualification period are selected each year to perform at the showcase event.

Below are the New Faces of Country Music qualification criteria:
1. The qualification period is Nov. 1 – Oct. 31, preceding the New Faces of Country Music® Show.
2. The artist(s) selected must never have appeared on the New Faces of Country Music® Show. Notwithstanding this, solo performers who become a member of a group or duo, or a group or duo member who becomes a solo artist, will be considered as an individual and separate artist, and therefore eligible.
3. Acts must have had at least one top 25 single on the Mediabase Country Airplay Chart as published in Country Aircheck or at least one top 25 single on the BDS-based Country Airplay Chart as published by Billboard during the qualification period, and no more than 5 top 25 singles in their career.

Dinner tickets for the 2019 New Faces of Country Music® Show are sold out. The $599 regular registration rate for Country Radio Seminar 2019, held Wednesday, Feb. 13 through Friday, Feb. 15 at the Omni hotel, is available at countryradioseminar.com.

CMT Reveals Year-Long Mentorship Program For New Artists

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Parker McKay

CMT continues to support new artists via its latest initiative, a year-long mentorship program for aspiring artists. The network is extending its Artist Discovery program by hosting 12 unsigned emerging country artists in its CMT Studio in Nashville, to record demos with top music producers.

After demos are recorded, each artist will have the opportunity to be mentored by industry leaders and tastemakers. The first recording session will pair emerging female artist Parker McKay with producer Alex Kline, who has worked with stars such as Reba, Terri Clark and “CMT Next Women of Country” member Tara Thompson.

Advisors for the program will include Sweet Talk Publicity president/owner Jensen Sussman; songwriter and Liz Rose Music Publishing owner Liz Rose; mtheory Nashville president Cameo Carlson; Maverick Management head of Marketing & Digital Strategy Cameo Carlson; Atlas Music Publishing/A&R consultant Tracy Gershon, and Fusion Artist Management’s Daniel Miller.

“We are proud to expand CMT’s Artist Discovery program,” said Leslie Fram, Senior Vice President of Music and Talent, CMT. “Many unsigned artists do not have the financial resources for professional demos, or guidance on how to propel their careers forward, and this first-of-its-kind program can provide both.”

CMT’s Artist Discovery program launched in 2014; the six-week program highlights unsigned artists, promoting them through all CMT platforms.

Eventbrite Music Launches For Indie Venues, Promoters And Festivals

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Ticketing and event tech platform Eventbrite has launched Eventbrite Music, aimed at independent music venues, promoters and festivals to power their ticketing and distribution.

The new offering, which is built atop the Eventbrite platform, connects promoters with more fans to grow their live audience through strategic partnerships with more than 50 distribution partner sites, including YouTube, Spotify, Pandora and Songkick.

The technology aims to streamline the ticketing checkout experience, enabling venues to either embed checkout into their website, or use a two-step purchase process on Facebook, Instagram and other social platforms. Eventbrite also includes access to real-time show data, customizable reserved seating functionality and mobile-optimized purchase flow for fans.

The move comes more than a year after Eventbrite acquired Ticketfly for $200 million from Pandora, as Eventbrite looks to end the Ticketfly brand in 2019.

“Over the years the core needs of a concert promoter haven’t changed: They need to reduce friction in their day-to-day operations, promote profitable shows, sometimes hundreds of them a year, and deliver a great experience for artists and fans,” said Andrew Dreskin, President of Eventbrite’s music division. “The amount of thought and work we’ve put into addressing these needs has been a herculean effort. I’ve been doing this a long time and I can say with conviction that Eventbrite Music is the best piece of ticketing software that I’ve ever worked on. We’re excited to put this solution into the hands of independent promoters around the world and help to continue to fuel a thriving independent music ecosystem.”

 

 

Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Pistol Annies To Headline Country Lakeshake

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Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert and Pistol Annies will headline next year’s Country Lakeshake in Chicago, set for June 21-23. The festival, now in its fifth year, will also feature performances by Lauren Alaina, Clint Black, Danielle Bradbery, Lindsay Ell, Jon Langston, Midland, Maren Morris, Cassadee Pope, Granger Smith feat. Earl Dibbles Jr, Mitchell Tenpenny and Brett Young, with more set to be announced in the coming weeks.

Festival goers will enjoy nonstop music, a slew of food trucks, wine lounges, interactive activities, dancing, the Next From Nashville stage, and other activities to be announced in the coming months.

Friday night will kick off with an all-female lineup at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island, and three-day and single-day passes will go on sale Friday, Nov. 16 at 10 a.m. CT at lakeshakefestival.com.

Jenn Witherell Promoted To Partner At Big Enterprises

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Jenn Witherell

Jenn Witherell, RaeLynn’s co-manager at Big Enterprises, has been promoted to partner at the company.

“January 2019 will mark 17 years that Jenn and I have been in business together,” said Kerry Hansen, President of Big Enterprises. “That is quite a rare milestone in any industry. Jenn is a bright forecaster, strategist and operations specialist. Her contributions to the company and its clients (past and present) have been a powerful influence on our success and the way we do business. The building of RaeLynn’s career is no exception and a shining example of her strengths and our collaboration.”

“At Big Enterprises, we approach every aspect of our business with unrelenting dedication – for our team and for our clients,” said Witherell.  “I’m honored to have worked with Kerry for 17 years, proud of the success of our past and, most importantly, energized for the future as we have the amazing opportunity to work with RaeLynn. We’re a strong team with an even stronger dedication to each other.”