Sugarland knows how to make a dramatic return, and the duo pulled out all the stops for the juicy, glamorous clip for their current single, “Babe.”
“Babe” marks the first proper music video from Sugarland’s Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles since 2011’s “Tonight,” and the clip is a beautifully-orchestrated piece of 1960s mod. Nettles stars as a devoted housewife who discovers her husband has an office mistress (played by pop superstar Taylor Swift, who co-penned the song with Pat Monahan). The video chronicles the effects of the philanderer’s actions on both women.
If the video gives off serious Mad Men vibes, that’s because it was filmed partially on the set of the hit television show, over the course of two days. Every piece of the video, from the set to the actual vintage clothing, was meant to be authentic.
“If you want to be in the throwback of mid-century mod, that was right in the heart of it,” Nettles says. “Another part of the video was the house we were in, which seemed like this preserved time capsule, except the owner actually lived there. She was a dame for sure, and was a Hollywood socialite back in the day. She preserved it exactly like it was in the ‘60s, all the way down to clear plastic seat covers on the couch.” The house featured in the “Babe” video also looks strikingly like the one used in Miranda Lambert’s “Mama’s Broken Heart” video from 2013.
“Babe,” both the song and the video, were a gift from BMLG labelmate Swift. Swift offered guest vocals on the track, and offered the idea for the treatment. “That was all Taylor,” Nettles says.
“She was like, ‘I have an idea for the video,’ but her idea was this fully-formed video treatment,” Bush says. From there, Sugarland and Swift swapped emails and pictures, nailing down details for the shoot.
Swift also suggested actor Brandon Routh, known for his role as Superman in Superman Returns, for the role of the cheating husband.
“Not only does he look like Superman, but he has that clean, all-American man look for that era,” Nettles says. “Even from the top of the video, when we are saying our goodbyes, and there is a shot of him in his fedora and you see the little tip of his hat, it’s just gorgeous.”
Bush appears in multiple roles, from the next-door neighbor to the weatherman.
“I’m totally the Dave Grohl in this video. Remember when he did that video with all the people in that airplane? Once we started talking about it we just kept adding in characters. It’s like ‘Where’s Waldo?’”
Nettles loves the way the drama builds throughout the piece. “I loved the scene where all the secretaries are typing away and all the looks that are thrown back and forth when Taylor makes her way to his office and then I come in, like ‘Uh oh, this stuff is about to go down.’ All that interplay was super fun.”
And that dramatic climax when the mistress (played by Swift) gives a death stare to the hopeful housewife (Nettles) as they meet in the office suite? Swift and Nettles played off each other, live.
“We filmed it together on purpose,” Nettles says. “We figured everyone would be like, ‘Oh, they shot this separately and never got to interact.’ Also, because of the nature of the treatment, it’s like, ‘When are the wife and the mistress going to have a chance to see each other? Thankfully the director came up with the solution for how to get us in the room at the same time for that big reveal moment. It’s a pretty powerful scene.”
Bush was among those watching the playback for the scene.
“Everyone just kind of took a step back, like, ‘I hope I never get looked at like that.’”
“Taylor was mentioning that she’s never done a video like this narrative where she gets to play this villainous character,” Nettles says. “With the look she gives me in the office, to display that kind of character I think was a lot of fun for her, too.”
Of course, there can be comedy in drama, and Nettles walks this fine line effortlessly as her character turns to a few too many martinis to cope with her husband’s betrayal.
“My favorite was what I called watering the pool, which is when she’s had a couple of martinis in the afternoon, and she’s supposed to be watering the plants, but ends up watering the pool in her despair. I would love to do a whole movie based on who she is…”
The “Babe” video plays as a mini-movie; there is no performance sequence.
“It’s a beautiful format, and a lot of times, especially in country music, I think it has tended to move away from the more narrative stuff because quite frankly, it’s just more costly, but it is such a beautiful genre,” Nettles says. “I hope that we can continue storytelling in such a way. I definitely enjoy it and I think it adds to another layer and another dimension to the song.”
Bush agrees.
“It’s a great way to put a new spin on a conversation that you are already listening to on radio.”
“Babe” is the second single from the duo’s newly-released album Bigger.
Bobby Karl Works The Room: MusicRow Magazine’s Cover Reveal Party
/by Bobby KarlPictured (L-R): MusicRow Publisher/Owner Sherod Robertson, Carly Pearce, and ASCAP’s Mike Sistad. Photo: Ed Rode Photography
BOBBY KARL WORKS THE ROOM
Chapter 599
Here are some things you remember as you climb to country stardom.
The first time somebody asks you for your autograph; the first time you hear yourself on the radio; your first big concert appearance; signing your first recording contract; making your first video; doing your first media interview; winning your first award.
How about this? The first time you are on the cover of a big magazine.
We celebrated that last one with Carly Pearce on Monday afternoon (Aug. 13) at ASCAP. That is the day that the “Artist Roster” edition of MusicRow was published. And guess who is smiling on its cover?
Pictured (L-R): MusicRow Publisher/Owner Sherod Robertson and Carly Pearce. Photo: Ed Rode Photography
“This is the first time that MusicRow has done this event,” said the mag’s owner/publisher Sherod Robertson. He and Carly unveiled a blow-up of the cover on ASCAP’s stage in the lobby.
“I’ve been reading this magazine for years,” Carly responded. “So this is kind of a full-circle moment.
“What a year-and-a-half I’ve had,” she continued. “I’m really grateful to all of you. I will never, ever, ever take it for granted.”
It has been a long climb for the young singer-songwriter. Carly formed her first band at age 11 in 2001, became a full-time entertainer at Dollywood at age 16, moved to Nashville at age 19 and served nearly six years in a fruitless Sony label development deal.
Party attendee J.R. Schumann helped to change her life. He put “Every Little Thing” on Sirius/XM radio. Attendee Allison Jones took note and urged attendee Scott Borchetta to sign Carly to Big Machine. Attendee Jeff Gregg put her on the road via CAA. Manager Rob Baker – also an attendee – managed her progress. You’ll find all of them in the Artist Roster issue.
Pictured (L-R): ASCAP’s Michael Martin and Beth Brinker, Carly Pearce, and ASCAP’s Mike Sistad. Photo: Ed Rode Photography
Pictured (L-R): Big Machine Label Group’s Scott Borchetta, Carly Pearce, and Longshot Management’s Rob Baker and Aaron Kinssies. Photo: Ed Rode Photography
Hosting ASCAP’s Michael Martin and Mike Sistad were with her all along the journey. Sistad presented Carly with a framed souvenir of the cover image.
“I want to thank you so much for being here — we’re so proud to have Carly in the ASCAP family,” said Mike. “I’ve known her for nine years.”
“Mike Sistad and ASCAP were among the first to support me,” Carly confirmed.
As we all know, the aching ballad “Every Little Thing” blasted its way to No. 1. Now, Carly’s saucy “Hide the Wine” is poised to repeat the feat.
Everyone must have been primed for a party, because the event was really crowded. The thunderous schmoozing in the echo-y lobby came courtesy of Chuck Flood, Chuck Thompson, Charlie Monk, Sarah Skates, Martha Moore, Sherrill Blackman, Steve O’Brien, Suzanne Lee, Dale Bobo, Dan Keen, Melanie Howard, Mike Craft, Becca Walls, Pat Higdon, Kos Weaver, Julie Boos, Andrew Kintz, Lisa Konicki and Cindy Owen, among many others.
Beaming above it all was Carly Pearce, who is notable for her positive attitude, no matter the length or difficulty of the climb. She also has a can-do work ethic that is awesome.
“This is an artist who will do whatever it takes to assure her place in this world,” Sherod observed. “She has been named a MusicRow Next Big Thing artist. Women are so important to this industry, and MusicRow is a big supporter of women.”
Read more about Pearce’s career here.
Pictured (L-R): MusicRow Publisher/Owner Sherod Robertson, Robert Oermann, Carly Pearce, and MusicRow‘s Haley Crow, Alex Kobrick, Eric Parker, and Jessica Nicholson. Photo: Ed Rode Photography
Exclusive Watch: Sugarland Offers Behind-The-Scenes Look At Retro “Babe” Video
/by Jessica NicholsonSugarland knows how to make a dramatic return, and the duo pulled out all the stops for the juicy, glamorous clip for their current single, “Babe.”
“Babe” marks the first proper music video from Sugarland’s Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles since 2011’s “Tonight,” and the clip is a beautifully-orchestrated piece of 1960s mod. Nettles stars as a devoted housewife who discovers her husband has an office mistress (played by pop superstar Taylor Swift, who co-penned the song with Pat Monahan). The video chronicles the effects of the philanderer’s actions on both women.
If the video gives off serious Mad Men vibes, that’s because it was filmed partially on the set of the hit television show, over the course of two days. Every piece of the video, from the set to the actual vintage clothing, was meant to be authentic.
“If you want to be in the throwback of mid-century mod, that was right in the heart of it,” Nettles says. “Another part of the video was the house we were in, which seemed like this preserved time capsule, except the owner actually lived there. She was a dame for sure, and was a Hollywood socialite back in the day. She preserved it exactly like it was in the ‘60s, all the way down to clear plastic seat covers on the couch.” The house featured in the “Babe” video also looks strikingly like the one used in Miranda Lambert’s “Mama’s Broken Heart” video from 2013.
“Babe,” both the song and the video, were a gift from BMLG labelmate Swift. Swift offered guest vocals on the track, and offered the idea for the treatment. “That was all Taylor,” Nettles says.
“She was like, ‘I have an idea for the video,’ but her idea was this fully-formed video treatment,” Bush says. From there, Sugarland and Swift swapped emails and pictures, nailing down details for the shoot.
Swift also suggested actor Brandon Routh, known for his role as Superman in Superman Returns, for the role of the cheating husband.
“Not only does he look like Superman, but he has that clean, all-American man look for that era,” Nettles says. “Even from the top of the video, when we are saying our goodbyes, and there is a shot of him in his fedora and you see the little tip of his hat, it’s just gorgeous.”
Bush appears in multiple roles, from the next-door neighbor to the weatherman.
“I’m totally the Dave Grohl in this video. Remember when he did that video with all the people in that airplane? Once we started talking about it we just kept adding in characters. It’s like ‘Where’s Waldo?’”
Nettles loves the way the drama builds throughout the piece. “I loved the scene where all the secretaries are typing away and all the looks that are thrown back and forth when Taylor makes her way to his office and then I come in, like ‘Uh oh, this stuff is about to go down.’ All that interplay was super fun.”
And that dramatic climax when the mistress (played by Swift) gives a death stare to the hopeful housewife (Nettles) as they meet in the office suite? Swift and Nettles played off each other, live.
“We filmed it together on purpose,” Nettles says. “We figured everyone would be like, ‘Oh, they shot this separately and never got to interact.’ Also, because of the nature of the treatment, it’s like, ‘When are the wife and the mistress going to have a chance to see each other? Thankfully the director came up with the solution for how to get us in the room at the same time for that big reveal moment. It’s a pretty powerful scene.”
Bush was among those watching the playback for the scene.
“Everyone just kind of took a step back, like, ‘I hope I never get looked at like that.’”
“Taylor was mentioning that she’s never done a video like this narrative where she gets to play this villainous character,” Nettles says. “With the look she gives me in the office, to display that kind of character I think was a lot of fun for her, too.”
Of course, there can be comedy in drama, and Nettles walks this fine line effortlessly as her character turns to a few too many martinis to cope with her husband’s betrayal.
“My favorite was what I called watering the pool, which is when she’s had a couple of martinis in the afternoon, and she’s supposed to be watering the plants, but ends up watering the pool in her despair. I would love to do a whole movie based on who she is…”
The “Babe” video plays as a mini-movie; there is no performance sequence.
“It’s a beautiful format, and a lot of times, especially in country music, I think it has tended to move away from the more narrative stuff because quite frankly, it’s just more costly, but it is such a beautiful genre,” Nettles says. “I hope that we can continue storytelling in such a way. I definitely enjoy it and I think it adds to another layer and another dimension to the song.”
Bush agrees.
“It’s a great way to put a new spin on a conversation that you are already listening to on radio.”
“Babe” is the second single from the duo’s newly-released album Bigger.
Jason Aldean To Hit The Beach As First Headlining Act For 2019 Tortuga Music Festival
/by Lorie HollabaughHotel packages for the highly-anticipated festival on the shores of Fort Lauderdale Beach Park are available now at TortugaMusicFestival.com, with more information including official onsale date, additional lineup and ticket prices to be shared in the coming months.
The Tortuga Music Festival strives to raise funds and awareness of the issues that the world’s oceans currently face, as well as supporting marine conservation and research. Attendees can learn about where a portion of the proceeds from their passes go onsite at the festival at Rock The Ocean’s Conservation Village. Offering an arena of exhibits within the festival grounds, fans can experience games, interactive touch tanks, cooking exhibitions, the latest ocean technology, and how they can help make a difference.
RIAA Gold And Platinum: July 2018
/by Jessica NicholsonMulti-Platinum Album Certifications
Taylor Swift – Red (7x Platinum)
Platinum Album Certifications
Kenny Chesney– Live In No Shoes Nation
Luke Combs – This One’s For You
Taylor Swift– The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection
Gold Album Certification
Kenny Chesney– Live In No Shoes Nation
Multi-Platinum Singles Certifications
Taylor Swift – “Everything Has Changed” (2x)
Taylor Swift– “I Knew You Were Trouble” (7x)
Taylor Swift – “Red” (2x)
Taylor Swift– “Look What You Made Me Do” (4x)
Taylor Swift – “…Ready For It” (2x)
Taylor Swift– “Blank Space” (8x)
Platinum Singles Certifications
Jason Aldean – “You Make It Easy”
Jordan Davis -“Singles You Up”
Morgan Wallen -“Up Down”
Taylor Swift -“Forever And Always”
Taylor Swift – “Delicate”
Taylor Swift – “End Game”
Taylor Swift – “Welcome To New York”
Nathaniel Rateliff And The Night Sweats – “S.O.B.”
Gold Singles Certifications
Blake Shelton– “I’ll Name The Dogs”
Taylor Swift – “The Way I Loved You”
Taylor Swift– “The Best Day”
Weekly Register: Luke Combs, FGL Lead Country Sales Charts
/by Jessica NicholsonLast week’s chart-topping album, Songs For The Saints from Kenny Chesney, is at No. 2 this week, with 24K, followed by Jason Aldean‘s Rearview Town at No. 3 with 17K. Kane Brown‘s self-titled album is at No. 4 with 14K, and Dan + Shay‘s self-titled album rounds out the Top 5, with 14K.
Florida Georgia Line continues to dominate the Top Country Song Sales chart, as “Simple” moves 17K this week. Brett Young‘s “Mercy” is at No. 2 with 16K, followed by Dan + Shay’s “Tequila” at No. 3 with 12K. Jason Aldean (w/Miranda Lambert)’s “Drowns The Whiskey” is at No. 4 with 11K, followed by Kenny Chesney’s “Get Along” at No. 5 with 11K.
BMI To Honor John Prine With Troubadour Award
/by Jessica NicholsonJohn Prine
Broadcast Music, Inc. will honor singer-songwriter John Prine with the Troubadour Award at a private dinner held at BMI’s Nashville office on Monday, Sept. 10. The Troubadour Award celebrates songwriters who have made a lasting impact on the songwriting community. The award, given only once previously, honors writers who craft for the sake of the song and set the pace for generations of songwriters who will follow.
“For a couple of generations of songwriters John Prine’s music set the bar,” says Jody Williams, VP, Creative, Nashville. “Sometimes serious, sometimes humorous, but always poignant, his songs paint vivid pictures of unforgettable characters.”
Prine is a renowned songwriter and two-time Grammy-winner. He is a Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame member and a PEN New England Lyrics Award recipient whose classic debut album, John Prine, is recognized as part of the Recording Academy’s GRAMMY Hall of Fame; his songs have been recorded by Johnny Cash, Carly Simon, Bette Midler, Bonnie Raitt, Norah Jones, George Strait, Miranda Lambert, Zac Brown Band, as well as many others.
His new, critically-acclaimed album, The Tree of Forgiveness, recently debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart with over 54,000 equivalent albums sold in its first week—a career high chart position and sales week for the legendary singer, songwriter and performer. The album also debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Americana/Folk Albums chart, No. 2 on Billboard’s Country Albums chart and No. 2 on Billboard’s Rock Albums chart. Released on his own independent label, Oh Boy Records, the album is Prine’s first album featuring new material in over 13 years and was produced by Grammy Award winning producer Dave Cobb.
The private event will feature tribute performances and guest speakers. The event also serves as a homecoming for BMI’s Americana family of artists.
City National Bank Acquires Exactuals
/by Lorie HollabaughCity National Bank has acquired Exactuals, a Los Angeles-based provider of innovative SaaS solutions for complex payments in the entertainment industry.
Exactuals’ innovative payment system, PaymentHub, allows studios, unions, guilds, payroll companies, music publishers, record labels, and others to provide direct deposit payments, tax document management and online reporting to rights holders, performers, managers, service providers and independent contractors across the globe. Exactuals’ system provides payments and reporting functions with greater security, accuracy, transparency and speed, and firms can process global payments through operating accounts at City National.
In addition to PaymentHub, Exactuals recently launched RAI, a sophisticated artificial intelligence tool used by record labels and publishers to optimize ownership metadata for the calculation and payment of royalties.
Mike Hurst will remain CEO of Exactuals, and he and the firm’s other executives are being retained with multi-year contracts. The payments firm will continue to modernize the residuals and royalty payment process for the entertainment industry, and over time, it plans to expand to serve other businesses as a wholly owned subsidiary of City National Bank.
“Exactuals has developed a groundbreaking and unique payments and reporting platform that enhances security and reliability,” said City National Bank Chairman and CEO Russell Goldsmith. “City National has been a minority investor in Exactuals for several years, and the two companies have formed a strong partnership. Mike and his team are highly skilled, and we’re very pleased that they will be joining City National. This acquisition builds on City National’s history of serving the entertainment industry, and it is the latest example of our commitment to provide clients with premier service and state-of-the-art payments systems. We look forward to helping Exactuals as the firm continues to grow.”
Dolly Parton Receives First Excellence In Leadership Award From Leadership Tennessee
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Leadership Tennessee executive director Cathy Cate, First Lady and Leadership Tennessee III member Crissy Haslam, Dolly Parton, Class IV member and Excellence in Leadership Award chair State Rep. Mark White. Photo credit: Patrick Sheehan
Dolly Parton was presented with the inaugural Dolly Parton Excellence in Leadership Award by Leadership Tennessee Saturday night (Aug. 11) for her selfless work to improve lives across Tennessee.
Parton’s contributions to the Volunteer State are transformational to generations of Tennesseans, including her “Smoky Mountains Rise” telethon, which raised more than $12.5 million for her My People Fund, to provide financial assistance to victims of the devastating Gatlinburg wildfires in 2016. In addition to the joy her music has brought to millions of fans, Parton’s Imagination Library mails free books to children from birth until they begin school regardless of family income. Since its launch in 1995, the program has given more than 100 million books to children in five different countries on three different continents.
“Tennessee has many talented sons and daughters but there are few who are as beloved as Dolly Parton,” First Lady Crissy Haslam, chair of the Fifth Anniversary Committee said. “And while she may be most known for her music, she has undoubtedly proved to be an exemplar of leadership through her generosity, humility, inclusiveness, expertise and passion. As a state, we are indebted to all that Dolly has done for Tennessee and its people; there is no one better suited for the very first Excellence in Leadership Award.”
“My dream was to make as many people happy as I could in this life, and I am grateful to Leadership Tennessee and First Lady Crissy Haslam for recognizing our work done to improve the lives of all Tennesseans,” Parton said. “Even more humbling is for decades to come the future leaders of Tennessee will receive an award with the Parton family name attached to it, and for that I am truly honored and thankful.”
The Dolly Parton Excellence in Leadership Award, designed and created by artist and Nashville native Ben Caldwell, marked the culmination of a year celebrating Leadership Tennessee’s fifth anniversary.
Exclusive: Lainey Wilson Signs With Broken Bow Records
/by Jessica NicholsonBack Row (L-R): Colton McGee, Director of Business and Legal Affairs, BBR Music Group; Kent Marcus, Marcus & Colvin, LLP; Sara Knabe, VP of A&R, BBR Music Group; Mandelyn Monchick, Deep South Entertainment. Front Row (L-R): Jon Loba, EVP, BBR Music Group; Lainey Wilson; Dave Rose, Deep South Entertainment
Lainey Wilson has joined BBR Music Group’s Broken Bow Records imprint, alongside labelmates Jason Aldean, Dustin Lynch, Chase Rice and Everette. Wilson is signed as a writer to Sony/ATV and is booked by WME. The Louisiana native has also landed cuts for Luke Combs and Kasey Tyndall.
In April, Wilson independently released her six-song, self-titled EP; she is a co-writer on all six tracks. In May, her video for “Workin’ Overtime” premiered on CMT.
Old Dominion Celebrates Platinum Singles With Rooftop Show At JW Marriott Nashville
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Whit Sellers, Trevor Rosen, Matt Ramsey, Brad Tursi, Geoff Sprung
Old Dominion celebrated a trio of RIAA Platinum certifications for the No. 1 hits “Written In The Sand,” “No Such Thing As A Broken Heart” and “Song For Another Time,” and reaching one billion career streams with an exclusive rooftop concert at the new JW Marriott in downtown Nashville last Thursday night (Aug. 7).
The band performed a set full of fan favorites during the event and were surprised with a plaque by their label, Sony Music Nashville, for the achievements. Their banner week culminated on Saturday night with their performance for a record-setting hometown crowd at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium on Kenny Chesney‘s Trip Around The Sun Tour.
Pictured, Back Row (L-R): Taylor Lindsey, Sony Music Nashville; Dennis Reese, RCA Records Nashville; Tracy Fleaner, Sony Music Nashville; Ed Rivadavia, Sony Music Nashville; Basak Kizilsik, Morris Higham; Nate Ritchies, Morris Higham; Mike Betterton, Morris Higham; Steve Hodges, Sony Music Nashville; Paige Altone, Sony Music Nashville. Pictured, Front Row (L-R): Whit Sellers, Trevor Rosen, Matt Ramsey, Brad Tursi, Geoff Sprung