Former Nashville concert, management and radio mogul Joe Sullivan died on Friday, June 22, at age 76. During the 1970s and 1980s, Sullivan’s Sound Seventy Corporation was a leading concert-promotion firm in the Southeast. His artist-management clients included Charlie Daniels, Wet Willie, Bobby Bare, Dobie Gray, Nicolette Larson and Dickie Betts.
Sullivan was a native of Manchester, Tennessee. He began his show-business career as a disc jockey on that city’s WMSR radio station. He spent 15 years in the radio industry. It was said that every station he was affiliated with earned its market’s No. 1 rating. By 1969, he was program director at WMAK, then Nashville’s top rock broadcaster.
At the time, most major rock acts bypassed Music City on tour. Sullivan booked Steppenwolf into Municipal Auditorium in early 1970, which launched Sound Seventy. The firm soon changed the face of live music in Nashville.
In 1973, Sullivan brought headliners such as The Rolling Stones, The Allman Brothers Band, Leon Russell and Alice Cooper to Nashville. Five years later, Sound Seventy was also promoting shows in Birmingham, Huntsville, Shreveport, Montgomery, Chattanooga, Dallas, Johnson City, Louisville, New Orleans, Knoxville, Baton Rouge, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Mobile and Pensacola.
But Nashville remained the impresario’s main focus. In 1978-79, alone, he brought to the city such superstars as David Bowie, Van Halen, Jackson Browne, Bruce Springsteen, The Doobie Brothers, The Jacksons, Elton John, The Eagles, Queen and Billy Joel. In addition to management and concert promotion, Sullivan expanded into song publishing, record promotion and tour merchandising. By the mid 1980s, Sound Seventy was a multi-million dollar Nashville company.
Journey, Tom Jones, Elvis Costello, Bob Hope, Jimmy Buffett, Rod Stewart, Kiss, Linda Ronstadt, Muhammad Ali, Bob Seger, The Beach Boys, Ozzy Osbourne, Bob Dylan, Chicago, James Taylor, Lionel Richie, Tina Turner, Neil Young, Cyndi Lauper, Don Henley and Heart had all enjoyed huge box office successes with Sound Seventy by the time the business celebrated its 15th anniversary in 1985.
So had such country superstars as Willie Nelson, Ronnie Milsap, Loretta Lynn, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Anne Murray, Emmylou Harris and Hank Williams Jr.
In the 1990s, Joe Sullivan moved to Branson, Missouri, and formed The Sullivan Company. In the 2000s, he worked with Larry Gatlin, Rick Springfield, The Fifth Dimension, The Lawrence Welk Orchestra, Billy Ray Cyrus and others in this new show-promotion venture. He had reportedly been in ill health for the past several years.
According to Nashville music industry veteran Steve Greil, Joe Sullivan’s body is being donated to a research hospital in Memphis. Services will take place in Branson and burial will be n Manchester.
Craig Wiseman’s 14th Annual Stars For Second Harvest Benefit Achieves Record-Breaking Evening
/by Lorie HollabaughCraig Wiseman. Photo: Peyton Hoge
Craig Wiseman‘s 14th Annual Stars For Second Harvest Benefit, held June 5 at the Ryman Auditorium, raised a record-breaking total of $180,000 for Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. The Big Loud Party featured all Big Loud artists and writers including Jake Owen, Morgan Wallen, Jillian Jaqueline, Mason Ramsey, Chris Tompkins, Rodney Clawson, Matt Dragstrem and Wiseman as host.
Funds raised at this year’s benefit bring the 14-year total to $1.3 million which goes to support the hungry in Middle Tennessee. Presenting sponsor O’Charley’s, along with stage sponsor Nissan North America and Second Harvest supporter Steve Pariso, all made generous donations to help reach the record-breaking total.
“It’s astounding that in year 14, we’ve exceeded all previous years with the amount raised. I am so grateful for all of the fans, artists and supporters of this incredible event. Each and every one of them has helped us year after year to support this great cause,” said Wiseman. “It is a blessing to work alongside our generous sponsors O’Charley’s and Nissan North America and a special shout out to Steve Pariso for his generosity. With their help we are able to touch the lives of so many who struggle to find a meal.”
Since its inception, the annual event has raised enough to provide over 5.2 million meals to Middle Tennesseans at risk of hunger.
Jake Owen. Photo: Peyton Hoge.
Mason Ramsey. Photo: Peyton Hoge
Concert Impresario Joe Sullivan Passes
/by Robert K OermannFormer Nashville concert, management and radio mogul Joe Sullivan died on Friday, June 22, at age 76. During the 1970s and 1980s, Sullivan’s Sound Seventy Corporation was a leading concert-promotion firm in the Southeast. His artist-management clients included Charlie Daniels, Wet Willie, Bobby Bare, Dobie Gray, Nicolette Larson and Dickie Betts.
Sullivan was a native of Manchester, Tennessee. He began his show-business career as a disc jockey on that city’s WMSR radio station. He spent 15 years in the radio industry. It was said that every station he was affiliated with earned its market’s No. 1 rating. By 1969, he was program director at WMAK, then Nashville’s top rock broadcaster.
At the time, most major rock acts bypassed Music City on tour. Sullivan booked Steppenwolf into Municipal Auditorium in early 1970, which launched Sound Seventy. The firm soon changed the face of live music in Nashville.
In 1973, Sullivan brought headliners such as The Rolling Stones, The Allman Brothers Band, Leon Russell and Alice Cooper to Nashville. Five years later, Sound Seventy was also promoting shows in Birmingham, Huntsville, Shreveport, Montgomery, Chattanooga, Dallas, Johnson City, Louisville, New Orleans, Knoxville, Baton Rouge, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Mobile and Pensacola.
But Nashville remained the impresario’s main focus. In 1978-79, alone, he brought to the city such superstars as David Bowie, Van Halen, Jackson Browne, Bruce Springsteen, The Doobie Brothers, The Jacksons, Elton John, The Eagles, Queen and Billy Joel. In addition to management and concert promotion, Sullivan expanded into song publishing, record promotion and tour merchandising. By the mid 1980s, Sound Seventy was a multi-million dollar Nashville company.
Journey, Tom Jones, Elvis Costello, Bob Hope, Jimmy Buffett, Rod Stewart, Kiss, Linda Ronstadt, Muhammad Ali, Bob Seger, The Beach Boys, Ozzy Osbourne, Bob Dylan, Chicago, James Taylor, Lionel Richie, Tina Turner, Neil Young, Cyndi Lauper, Don Henley and Heart had all enjoyed huge box office successes with Sound Seventy by the time the business celebrated its 15th anniversary in 1985.
So had such country superstars as Willie Nelson, Ronnie Milsap, Loretta Lynn, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Anne Murray, Emmylou Harris and Hank Williams Jr.
In the 1990s, Joe Sullivan moved to Branson, Missouri, and formed The Sullivan Company. In the 2000s, he worked with Larry Gatlin, Rick Springfield, The Fifth Dimension, The Lawrence Welk Orchestra, Billy Ray Cyrus and others in this new show-promotion venture. He had reportedly been in ill health for the past several years.
According to Nashville music industry veteran Steve Greil, Joe Sullivan’s body is being donated to a research hospital in Memphis. Services will take place in Branson and burial will be n Manchester.
Centricity Music’s Lauren Daigle Celebrates Platinum Album
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Centricity Senior VP of A&R John Mays, Centricity VP of Publishing Chad Segura, Lauren Daigle, Centricity General Manager Steve Ford
Centricity Music artist Lauren Daigle’s debut album, How Can It Be, has been certified Platinum by the RIAA. Released in 2015, How Can It Be is one of only five albums in the Christian genre to attain Platinum status since 2003, and the first from a female artist since 2001.
Daigle’s album has received two Grammy nominations and earned her two Billboard Awards and an American Music Award. Three songs from the album, “How Can It Be,” “Trust In You,” and “O’Lord,” have also been certified Gold by RIAA.
“There are moments in life that show you years worth of time and hard work. When they told me ‘How Can It Be’ has been certified platinum, I was overcome with the awareness that every year of my life has built up to this moment and led to this first milestone,” says Lauren. “It could only be made possible by people willing to open up their heart and share their vulnerability with others through music. I’m so incredibly grateful. To all who have supported, you made this happen!”
“Having How Can It Be reach Platinum status shows the hard work and dedication from Lauren and her ability to connect with so many people from all over the world,” Centricity CEO Caren Seidle said. “When I first heard Lauren sing in a small church six years ago, she made me sit up and appreciate the sound and the message- it was as if I was the only one in the room. I think everyone who hears Lauren feels that way, like she is speaking to them personally.”
Matthew West Issues Deluxe Version Of ‘All In,’ Featuring Acoustic Tracks
/by Jessica NicholsonMatthew West has released a special version of his chart-topping album All In, featuring five new acoustic tracks.
The new tracks included on the redelivered version include the title track “All In,” as well as “Jesus & You,” “The Beautiful Things We Miss,” “Mercy Is A Song” and the No. 1 hit song “Broken Things.”
“The songwriting process for [All In], and every record I make, usually begins with my guitar and my journal. From there, these songs begin to take shape and I get to watch them grow up throughout my time in the studio until they’re all ready to be sent out into the world,” said West. “But there’s something special to me about revisiting these songs and playing them the way they were first written – leaving some of the bells and whistles behind. That’s why I wanted to re-release this record I’m so proud of, with new versions of some of the songs in a more stripped-down form.”
The special release follows the sixth annual K-LOVE Fan Awards, where West teamed up with longtime friend Mandisa to host his fourth K-LOVE Awards at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House.
Scooter Carusoe Signs Joint Venture With Rezonant Music Publishing, BMG
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Kos Weaver/BMG; Scooter Carusoe; Tim Wipperman/Rezonant
Scooter Carusoe has signed a joint venture publishing deal with Rezonant Music Publishing and BMG. The companies have also purchased his recent catalog.
Carusoe co-wrote Darius Rucker’s latest No. 1, “For the First Time,” as well as the Brett Eldredge chart toppers “Wanna Be That Song” and “Mean To Me” and Kenny Chesney hits “Better As A Memory” and “Anything But Mine.” He has also had songs recorded by Jordan Davis, Dierks Bentley, Rascal Flatts, Chris Janson, Chris Young, Lady Antebellum, Sugarland, Eli Young Band and more.
“The opportunity to work with an elite lyricist like Scooter as well as Kos and his creative team at BMG was compelling for us at Rezonant,” said Tim Wipperman, Rezonant’s CEO and founding partner. “It’s a great combination.”
“Scooter is one of the best songwriters around, and in a lane all his own,” said Kos Weaver, BMG EVP Nashville. “We are thrilled to be representing him with Tim and Rezonant.”
“I am very proud to be part of the Rezonant team,” said Carusoe. “They are an exciting addition to the Nashville music community and the perfect partner for me as I start a new chapter in my career. The uniqueness of their model, which also allows us to partner with BMG, gives me a lot of support moving forward and a new energized spirit.”
CMA Songwriters Series Announces Chicago Show With Brett Eldredge
/by Lorie HollabaughBrett Eldredge, Ross Copperman, Tom Douglas, and Jordan Reynolds will appear on a special CMA Songwriters Series show in Chicago at Joe’s Bar on Weed Street July 24. The show will feature intimate performances from the writers along with the stories behind their hit songs.
During the trip, the CMA Foundation, CMA’s philanthropic arm, will also visit Chicago’s Notes for Notes studio, located in the Near West Side neighborhood. As part of U.S. Bank’s Community Possible giving platform and its Places to Play partnership along with the CMA Foundation, both entities will present $75,000 in funding to Chicago’s Notes for Notes studio during the visit, which will sustain operational costs for the remainder of 2018.
In 2017, the CMA Foundation partnered with Notes for Notes to help fund studios across the country and allow the spaces to operate freely each year. By investing in these state-of-the-art studios, youth are given the opportunity to create, experience and play music in their community.
Tickets for the performance are on sale now at joesbar.com/SuSF0. General admission tickets cost $40.
Average Joes Entertainment’s Sarah Ross Preps ‘Nervous Breakdown’
/by Jessica NicholsonSarah Ross will release the EP Nervous Breakdown on July 20 via Average Joes Entertainment. The five-song collection was produced by Jim Kaufman, and includes the duet, “All I Want to Know,” featuring Asking Alexandria’s Danny Worsnop.
Sarah Ross penned three tracks on the project. The title track was penned by Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves, Trevor Rosen, and Brandy Clark.
Nervous Breakdown Track Listing:
1. Nervous Breakdown (Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves, Trevor Rosen, Brandy Clark)
2. Headed For A Goodbye (Sarah Restuccio, Spencer Bartoletti, Wade Boyer)
3. All I Want To Know feat./Danny Worsnop (Aaron G. Barker, Don May)
4. Love This Strong (Sarah Restuccio, Spencer Bartoletti)
5. Doin’ Just Fine (Sarah Restuccio, David Fanning, Curt Gibbs)
Riley Clemmons Preps Debut Album
/by Jessica NicholsonRiley Clemmons will release her first full-length project with Capitol CMG on Aug. 3. The album includes the single “Broken Prayers” and newly released “Better For It.” Clemmons will spend the release date of her album at Ryan Seacrest Foundation’s Seacrest Studios at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in her hometown of Nashville.
“Music has always been a way for me to find light and hope in the middle of darkness,” shares Clemmons. “Lyrics and melodies unite people in such a beautifully unique way, showing us we’re not that different from one another. I hope these songs help others to find hope, light and unity, just as writing them helped me to find my faith through the lens of a new perspective.”
Released earlier this month, “Better For It” was streamed more than half a million times globally in the first 10 days. Spotify’s New Music Friday, Apple Music’s Breaking Pop and SiriusXM have already picked up on the track. The music video, which was filmed in one continuous take, already has more than 350k views on YouTube.
“Broken Prayers” has been streamed 14+ million times globally, in addition to a multi-week top 5 reign at Hot AC radio and Apple Music playlists placements such as Future Hits, Pure Pop, Charm and Breaking Pop.
Hitting over 25 markets this fall, Clemmons will join friends Danny Gokey and Tauren Wells for “The Hope Encounter” Tour this September.
Riley Clemmons Track Listing:
Hold On (Riley Clemmons/Dan Muckala/Phil Bentley)
Better For It (Riley Clemmons/Ben Glover/Colby Wedgeworth)
Saving Me (Riley Clemmons/Ben Glover/Colby Wedgeworth)
Broke (Riley Clemmons/Kevin Kadish/Brandon Jane)
Remember (Riley Clemmons/Kipp Williams/Lindsey Sweat)
Running After You (Riley Clemmons/Lindsey Sweat/Kipp Williams/Dan Muckala)
Honest (Riley Clemmons/Jordan Sapp/Paul Duncan)
Broken Prayers (Riley Clemmons/Emily Weisband/Josh Kerr/Ben Glover/Tedd Tjornhom)
Drop Everything (Riley Clemmons/Tedd Tjornhorn/Tony Wood)
You First (Riley Clemmons/Ruslan Odnoralov/Dalton Diehl/Angel Velazquez)
I’ll Stay (Riley Clemmons/Josh Bronleewe/Matt Armstrong)
Broken Prayers (Piano Version)
Lynn Anderson Rose Garden Opens In Nashville
/by Jessica NicholsonThe late Lynn Anderson, known for her signature 1970 song “Rose Garden,” was honored with the unveiling of the Lynn Anderson Rose Garden at Nashville’s Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home and Memorial Park on Friday (June 15), Lynn Anderson Day in the state of Tennessee.
This garden at Lynn Anderson’s final resting place features 114 Lynn Anderson Hybrid Tea Roses and is open to the public every day from sunrise to sunset. Anderson died in 2015.
In a private ceremony attended by Country Music Hall of Fame Member Brenda Lee, Lynn Anderson’s daughters Lisa Sutton and Melissa Hempel and her father Casey Anderson were joined by representatives from the American Rose Society, Weeks Roses and Woodlawn’s executive team for a standing room only dedication and ribbon cutting.
Lynn’s daughter Lisa Sutton, Woodlawn’s Jeff Duffer & Lynn’s daughter Melissa Hempel. Photo: Randy Dorman
In a two-year initiative that was led by the Weeks Roses horticultural team, the Lynn Anderson Tea Rose was re-grown for a limited run for family and friends and to create this impressive collection of the singer’s namesake rose in a memorial that will pay tribute to her songs and to roses for years to come. Lynn’s daughter Lisa Sutton spearheaded the effort to create the garden in 2016 and once they broke ground on May 2, 2018 the build out only took just a little over a month.
“We are honored to unveil a permanent memorial to mom here in Nashville at Woodlawn,” says Sutton. “The beauty of this project is that we also brought back the rose, which has been out of commission for almost two decades. Rose Garden changed my mom’s life and it also changed the face and sound of country music. We are happy to share these 114 Lynn Anderson Hybrid Tea Roses, the largest collection ever of the rose, with the community.
Front Row (L-R): American Rose Society Presidential Candidate Chris VanCleve, Weeks Roses David Johnson & Lynn Anderson’s father Casey Anderson. Middle Row (L-R) American Rose Society Former President Marilyn Wellan, American Rose Society’s Laura Seabaugh, Lynn Anderson’ daughter Melissa Hempel. Back Row (L-R) Lynn Anderson’s daughter Lisa Sutton andWoodlawn’s Jeffrey Duffer. Photo: Randy Dorman
Liz Cooper & The Stampede’s ‘Window Flowers’ Set For August Release
/by Lorie HollabaughRecorded at Welcome to 1979 in Nashville with co-producer TJ Elias, Window Flowers is the culmination of a year-long dedication in which Cooper pushed herself to spend every single day creating in at least one medium and saying “yes” to everything she was asked to do. “Our first time working with an outside producer and our first time in a proper recording studio was when we recorded Window Flowers,” said Cooper. “TJ Elias’ mad scientist ideas, an abundance of hot dogs, and lack of sunlight pushed us outside of our comfort zones to work more cohesively as a unit than we ever had before.”
Cooper grew up in Baltimore and attended Towson University on a full athletic scholarship for golf, but left after her freshmen year to pursue a musician’s path in Nashville. In Music City she she discovered her sound and singular voice through a new creative community which includes the likes of Ron Gallo, Rayland Baxter, Okey Dokey, Erin Rae, Cage the Elephant, The Weeks, The Wild Feathers, Jamestown Revival, Desert Noises, Future Thieves and Caroline Rose.
In celebration of the release, the band is currently on tour including several dates supporting Houndmouth, select headline performances and summer festival sets at Wildwood MusicFest and LouFest.
WINDOW FLOWERS Track List:
1. Sleepyhead
2. The Night
3. Outer Space
4. Mountain Main
5. Kaleidoscope Eyes
6. Dalai Lama
7. Motions
8. Fondly & Forever
9. Lights
10. Hey Man
11. Walls of White