Irlene Mandrell
From behind the drum set in her sister’s band to the corn fields of Hee Haw to being the ‘funny one’ on Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters television show, Irlene Mandrell has done it all. She’s a performer, a model, a comic, a singer, a musician, a mother and more.
2018 finds Irlene reflective and thankful; releasing new projects that look back on her life with clarity. She has recently released a new album dedicated to military and first responders called Thanks To You on Reviver Records. Likewise, Irlene has released a new country single to radio called “You Ain’t Nothin’ But A Heartache,” also on Reviver Records.
Irlene has also become an author. Her book, God Rains Miracles, is an inspirational look at her family life and her faith.
“I have had all these stories forever,” she explained. “They’re family stories that happened both before and after I was born. It’s like ‘God rains miracles’ all the time, constantly all around me. I could be writing another book right now because they’re so constant.”
Irlene Mandrell with MusicRow owner/publisher Sherod Robertson
Irlene has also become the host of a YouTube series she has appropriately named “Now and Then,” distributed by The Nashville Soundbite. The series is a nostalgic look back on Mandrell Sisters memories, as well as new updates from Irlene. So far, the series has featured guest appearances from Charlie Daniels, John Schneider of The Dukes of Hazzard and Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys. Each video features a short interview and clips of Irlene interacting with her guests back on the Mandrell Sisters show.
“People have been great to do the videos with, so we’ll just keep going as long as we can drag people in,” Irlene said with a laugh.
Reflecting back on her sisters’ television show provides Irlene with plenty of fond memories.
“The girls and I always think about them as the best home movies ever,” she said. “We were already really close because Louise and I were part of Barbara’s band, so we traveled together growing up. When the show happened, we weren’t working together anymore so it was kind of like a reunion.”
The NBC variety show was one of the last successful prime-time TV variety shows. The Mandrell sisters sang and danced, entertained the audience with skits and comedy, and hosted guests like Brenda Lee, Alabama, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, The Statler Brothers, Ronnie Milsap, Minnie Pearl, Glen Campbell, Roy Rogers, Ray Charles and many more.
Each sister developed her own character during the show. Barbara, the leader. Louise, the smart one. And the striking, blonde Irlene, the funny one.
“It’s so nice that you say funny and not ditzy, right!” she laughed, “We had 12 writers. They spent a few weeks getting to know us before they started writing. So of course they’re going to exaggerate us. They take care of me because I’m the baby. But it also makes me take things not very seriously sometimes and just have fun with life. My dad always said if you make a mistake you gotta be able to laugh at it, so that makes me laughing all the time.”
Irlene Mandrell with MusicRow staffers.
After the Mandrell Sisters came to an end in 1982, Irlene found work on another hit variety show: Hee Haw. She eventually became a ‘Hee Haw Honey,’ a sought after role on the show, and often did skits as Kornfield Kounty’s telephone operator.
“Oh Hee Haw was funny,” she said, “we went from learning a drum solo a week. You really had to learn it because you first pre-recorded it and then you had to match it [during the taping]. Learning the dance and the comedy…everything was scripted, which we’d memorize.”
When asked about cue cards, Irlene said there were none. “No, we didn’t want to [use them],” she explained. “It just seemed so more real to us– to just have it down.”
However, cue cards were used during the jokes in the corn field to help create comedic reactions to the punch lines. Irlene adds, “Sam [Lovullo, the producer of the show] liked to not let anyone see the jokes until they held up the cue cards, and if you made a mistake, fine, they loved it!”
In addition to her newly released single “You Ain’t Nothin’ But A Heartbreak,” Irlene is planning some Christmas shows later this year with her children Vanessa, Christina and Deric.
Paul Barnabee Joins FBMM
/by Jessica NicholsonPaul Barnabee
Longtime Sony Music executive and respected music industry veteran Paul Barnabee has joined FBMM (Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.).
“Our FBMM family is excited to welcome Paul,” said Duane Clark, owner and vice chairman at FBMM. “Coming to us from a different side of the industry gives him a unique perspective, and FBMM’s executive team is excited to add another layer of industry expertise for our clients.”
A Long Island native, Barnabee moved to Nashville in 1995 to accept a position as senior director of finance at Sony Music Entertainment. He later became senior vice president in sales, finance and operations. In 2011, he was appointed as senior vice president of marketing for Sony and its three imprints, RCA, Columbia and Arista Nashville. In this role, Barnabee led his department in the creation and execution of strategic marketing initiatives for a number of global music artists. He also directed the development of industry campaigns to attract new artists to the label.
“FBMM is known worldwide as a leader in business management, and it’s an honor to join a company of this caliber,” Barnabee said. “This firm does great work with integrity and always puts its clients first, which is incredibly important to me. It’s amazing to see the dedication and breadth of services FBMM provides. I am very excited to be a part of a team driven to help artists achieve their goals.”
Barnabee earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Albany, SUNY and his CPA license in the state of New York. He served on the board of directors for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Middle Tennessee for five years and now serves on the board of the Academy of Country Music (ACM) as a past chairman. He currently serves as vice chairman of ACM’s charitable arm, Lifting Lives.
Taylor Swift To Open American Music Awards In October
/by Lorie HollabaughA 19-time American Music Award winner, Swift garnered four 2018 nominations and is the current record holder of most wins for Artist of the Year, a category for which she is nominated again this year, along with nominations for AMA Tour of the Year, Favorite Female Artist – Pop/Rock, and Favorite Album – Pop/Rock.
Set to take the stage on the heels of her record-breaking reputation stadium tour, Swift joins previously-announced performers benny blanco with Halsey and Khalid, Cardi B featuring Bad Bunny and J Balvin, Mariah Carey, Ciara featuring Missy Elliott, Dua Lipa, Panic! At the Disco, Post Malone ft. Ty Dolla $ign, Carrie Underwood and a moving tribute to the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.
Hosted by Tracee Ellis Ross, the show will broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
Spotify Announces Integration With Google Maps
/by Eric T. Parker“We’ve previously seen how well navigation works in harmony with music through our integration with Waze in 2017,” reads a statement from Spotify. “Starting [October 1], millions of Google Maps users across Spotify markets will be able to to ‘jam through the traffic jam’ on both iOS and Android. After connecting your Spotify account, you’ll be ready to start.”
Playback controls like pause, play, or skip are enabled within the Google Maps navigation settings to enjoy music and podcasts from Spotify during active navigation. Through a simple entry-point from the Google Maps app into Spotify, users are able to browse songs, albums, and playlists. A banner in Spotify will return users to active navigation.
The integration will be rolling out to all Google Maps users over the next few days with the latest version of Spotify.
Thomas Archer Extends Deal With MV2 Entertainment
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Nicole Sherrill – Creative Director, Ben Strain – Creative Director, Mike Whelan – Senior Creative Director, Thomas Archer, Tony Harrell – General Manager, Lauren Davis – Artist Management and Contract Administration
Photo by Lindsey Parrish.
MV2 Entertainment has extended its deal with hit songwriter Thomas Archer. Archer has had recent hits with artists Luke Combs (“Hurricane”) and Walker Hayes (“You Broke Up With Me”).
“We are excited to move forward with Thomas as he continues his growth and success as one of Nashville’s top-tier young writers,” said MV2 General Manager Tony Harrell.
Archer, born and raised in Georgia, made his move to Nashville in 2012 after securing numerous cuts with independent artists, which caught the ear of Nashville publishers and helped him land his first publishing deal. Since moving to Nashville, Archer has become a well-known name in the songwriting community and is poised to have a breakout year.
MV2’s roster of writers includes Thomas Archer, Nick Donley, Jimmie Deeghan, Eric Dodd, Clay Mills, Robert Arthur and artist Nora Collins.
One-On-One With Irlene Mandrell: New Music And Video Series
/by LB CantrellIrlene Mandrell
From behind the drum set in her sister’s band to the corn fields of Hee Haw to being the ‘funny one’ on Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters television show, Irlene Mandrell has done it all. She’s a performer, a model, a comic, a singer, a musician, a mother and more.
2018 finds Irlene reflective and thankful; releasing new projects that look back on her life with clarity. She has recently released a new album dedicated to military and first responders called Thanks To You on Reviver Records. Likewise, Irlene has released a new country single to radio called “You Ain’t Nothin’ But A Heartache,” also on Reviver Records.
Irlene has also become an author. Her book, God Rains Miracles, is an inspirational look at her family life and her faith.
“I have had all these stories forever,” she explained. “They’re family stories that happened both before and after I was born. It’s like ‘God rains miracles’ all the time, constantly all around me. I could be writing another book right now because they’re so constant.”
Irlene Mandrell with MusicRow owner/publisher Sherod Robertson
Irlene has also become the host of a YouTube series she has appropriately named “Now and Then,” distributed by The Nashville Soundbite. The series is a nostalgic look back on Mandrell Sisters memories, as well as new updates from Irlene. So far, the series has featured guest appearances from Charlie Daniels, John Schneider of The Dukes of Hazzard and Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys. Each video features a short interview and clips of Irlene interacting with her guests back on the Mandrell Sisters show.
“People have been great to do the videos with, so we’ll just keep going as long as we can drag people in,” Irlene said with a laugh.
Reflecting back on her sisters’ television show provides Irlene with plenty of fond memories.
“The girls and I always think about them as the best home movies ever,” she said. “We were already really close because Louise and I were part of Barbara’s band, so we traveled together growing up. When the show happened, we weren’t working together anymore so it was kind of like a reunion.”
The NBC variety show was one of the last successful prime-time TV variety shows. The Mandrell sisters sang and danced, entertained the audience with skits and comedy, and hosted guests like Brenda Lee, Alabama, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, The Statler Brothers, Ronnie Milsap, Minnie Pearl, Glen Campbell, Roy Rogers, Ray Charles and many more.
Each sister developed her own character during the show. Barbara, the leader. Louise, the smart one. And the striking, blonde Irlene, the funny one.
“It’s so nice that you say funny and not ditzy, right!” she laughed, “We had 12 writers. They spent a few weeks getting to know us before they started writing. So of course they’re going to exaggerate us. They take care of me because I’m the baby. But it also makes me take things not very seriously sometimes and just have fun with life. My dad always said if you make a mistake you gotta be able to laugh at it, so that makes me laughing all the time.”
Irlene Mandrell with MusicRow staffers.
After the Mandrell Sisters came to an end in 1982, Irlene found work on another hit variety show: Hee Haw. She eventually became a ‘Hee Haw Honey,’ a sought after role on the show, and often did skits as Kornfield Kounty’s telephone operator.
“Oh Hee Haw was funny,” she said, “we went from learning a drum solo a week. You really had to learn it because you first pre-recorded it and then you had to match it [during the taping]. Learning the dance and the comedy…everything was scripted, which we’d memorize.”
When asked about cue cards, Irlene said there were none. “No, we didn’t want to [use them],” she explained. “It just seemed so more real to us– to just have it down.”
However, cue cards were used during the jokes in the corn field to help create comedic reactions to the punch lines. Irlene adds, “Sam [Lovullo, the producer of the show] liked to not let anyone see the jokes until they held up the cue cards, and if you made a mistake, fine, they loved it!”
In addition to her newly released single “You Ain’t Nothin’ But A Heartbreak,” Irlene is planning some Christmas shows later this year with her children Vanessa, Christina and Deric.
Weekly Register: Carrie Underwood, Luke Combs, FGL Reign
/by Eric T. ParkerClockwise (From Top L): Carrie Underwood, Kane Brown, Florida Georgia Line
Albums
Now in its second week of release, Carrie Underwood‘s Cry Pretty achieved 36K in total activity to keep its reign at No. 1 country (28K in album sales/8.5M in stream activity), now at No. 7 overall. Cry Pretty‘s debut marked the best-selling country album debut of 2018, the biggest country album debut since Aug. 7, 2015 (Luke Bryan’s Kill The Lights) and the biggest female country album debut since Oct. 22, 2012 (Taylor Swift’s Red).
Luke Combs holds steady No. 2 with his album This One’s For You with 23K in total activity (4.4K in album sales/21M in stream activity). Kane Brown‘s self-titled release moves up from No. 5 to No. 3 this week with 13K in total activity (2.9K in album sales/12M in stream activity). Chris Stapleton‘s 2015 debut Traveller reappears in the top 5 this week with 13K in total activity (3.5K in album sales/10M in stream activity) this week to claim the No. 4 slot. The self-titled effort from Dan + Shay slides up again for 12K in total activity this week at No. 5 (1.4K in album sales/13M in stream activity).
After debuting on Sept. 21, Thomas Rhett‘s Life Changes Deluxe earned 10,247 in total activity this week (1K in album sales/11M in stream activity). No. 1 all-genre for the Billboard Top 200 is Brockhampton‘s iridescence, with total activity of 100K.
Singles
Turning to single stream activity, Kane Brown‘s “Heaven” again claims No. 1 with 7.9M this week. Dan + Shay‘s “Tequila” holds steady at No. 2 with 6.6M. Chris Stapleton‘s “Tennessee Whiskey” again earns No. 3 with 6.5M this week. Florida Georgia Line’s “Simple” slides up with 5.7M to land at No. 4, while Luke Combs’ “Beautiful Crazy” drops one to No. 5 with 5.7M this week.
Meanwhile, single sales activity this week finds FGL‘s “Simple” again at No. 1 with 9K. Kane Brown‘s “Homesick” reappears on the top 5, moving 8.9K to land at No. 2. Luke Combs‘ “She Got the Best Of Me” again takes No. 3 with 8.7K. Dan + Shay “Speechless” moves up to 8.3K at No. 4 while at the same time Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey” moves in to No. 5 with 7K this week.
Billy Currington‘s “Bring It On Over” is the top debut this week at No. 21 with 3.8K, No. 90 overall.
Cody Johnson To Release ‘Ain’t Nothin’ To It’ In January
/by Jessica NicholsonCody Johnson. Photo: Cameron Powell
CoJo Music / Warner Music Nashville artist Cody Johnson will release his major label debut, Ain’t Nothin’ To It, on Jan. 18, 2019. The album follows his previous independent release which made its debut at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and No. 11 on the Billboard 200.
The lead single off the album “On My Way to You,” is already Top 35 at country radio and rapidly approaching the Top 30. The upcoming album will be available for fans to preorder on Oct. 26 and will include a gratis download of “On My Way To You,” along with four additional tracks on the album. Johnson once again tapped producer Trent Willmon when he went into the studio to record the album.
With over 350,000 hard tickets sold in 2017 alone, Johnson sold out shows in over two dozen states. With a rapidly expanding fan base, Johnson is doubling and tripling ticket sales each time he returns to perform in markets ranging from New York to Los Angeles. His upcoming Oct. 19 show at Marathon Music Works in Nashville sold out over a month in advance.
Don McLean Extends UMPG Admin Deal
/by Jessica NicholsonDon McLean in performance at The Sage Gateshead
Don McLean recently signed a third extension to his ongoing administration deal with Universal Music Publishing Group, a deal worth $4.5 million, according to a release. McLean’s catalog includes classics “American Pie,” “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night),” “And I Love You So,” “Castles in The Air,” “The Grave,” and more. His relationship with UMPG reaches back to 1990.
“Universal has done a great job at getting my songs in movies and TV shows, and they are a first class, worldwide organization,” McLean says.
McLean is also readying for the second leg of his 2018 World tour which begins Oct. 1 in Essen, Germany, and will take him through Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, Finland and Norway.
His newest album, Botanical Gardens, released in March on BMG. Earlier this year, the Country Music Hall of Fame announced it would highlight items from McLean’s career in its long-running, permanent exhibition Sing Me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music.
Average Joes Entertainment Signs Carter Winter
/by Jessica NicholsonTop row (L-R): Tyler Cole/UTA; Zach Beebe/Manager; Lance Roberts/UTA. Bottom row (L-R): Forrest Latta/AJE A&R; Carter Winter; Shannon Houchins/AJE CEO-President
Singer-songwriter Carter Winter has joined the roster at indie label Average Joes Entertainment. His debut album for the label, Temptation, is available for pre-order and is set for release on Nov. 2, 2018.
“Carter is the real deal; an incredible singer/songwriter who has done the work, built a loyal following, and continues to blow away audiences with his pure talent.” said Shannon Houchins, CEO/President, Average Joes Entertainment. “We’re excited to have him aboard.”
Winter has touring representation through United Talent Agency, and is signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Publishing. A native of Columbus, Ohio, Winter has spent most of the last few years on the road honing his performance skills and growing his fan base.
Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Average Joes is also home to Colt Ford, Adam Wakefield, Montgomery Gentry and others.
Willie Nelson, George Strait, Kacey Musgraves Lend Voices To New Ronnie Milsap Duets Album
/by Lorie HollabaughPeople has debuted one of the new tracks, Kacey Musgraves‘ spunky duet with Milsap of the 1982 Grammy-winning “There’s No Getting Over Me,” and the country legend said of their duet, “Singing with Kacey is so much fun. She’s a pure vocalist and knows how to lean into a melody. Having her on this gave the song a whole new twist, which is what music is all about. How do you take what you know and make it even more?”
Milsap’s duet with Willie Nelson,”A Woman’s Love,” premiered at Relix today. Nelson also ended up recording the Mike Reid-penned song on his own God’s Problem Child project.
Recorded at Ronnie’s Place, the studio the former Entertainer of the Year built at the height of his success, Ronnie Milsap: The Duets marries his much loved hits with a few new gems. Co-produced with long-term collaborator Rob Galbraith, the album also includes collaborations with fellow Entertainers of the Year Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, George Strait and Dolly Parton, as well as Little Big Town and Montgomery Gentry, on what are likely among the late Troy Gentry‘s last recordings. Duets with Billy F. Gibbons, Steven Curtis Chapman, Lucy Angel and Jesse Key, and Leon Russell also appear on the project.