Mark Your Calendar—September 2017

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Single Add Dates

September 4
Sarah Dunn Band/A Cowboy’s Face/Reznam

September 5
Cole Swindell/Stay Downtown/Warner Bros./WMN
Drew Baldridge/Guns & Roses/Cold River Records

September 11
Seth Ennis/Look At You/Arista Nashville
Billy Currington/Wake Me Up/Mercury
Dustin Collins/Pieces/Big Risk
Megan Golden/ I Miss Missin’ You/Burning Ground Entertainment
Kim McAbee/Stand Still With Me/Soigne’ Records
Adam Wakefield/Blame It On Me

September 18
Dugger Band/East Tennessee Son/Dugger Band
James Meadows/Carolina Moon/Jerry Duncan/Tower/Marco
Justin Moore/Kinda Don’t Care/Valory

September 25
Nick Brennan/I Want A Girl/CB Music/Stanley Music Group/MC1 Nashville
Gal Friday/Scrapyard

Album Release Dates

September 1
Eric Church/61 Days In Church [30 tracks digitally, Apple Music for first two weeks]/EMI Nashville
Cash Creek/The Hard Way Chapter 2/Heartland Records Nashville
Erin Enderlin/Whiskey Town Crier
The Grascals/Before Breakfast/Mountain Home

September 8
Kip Moore/SLOWHEART/MCA Nashville
Thomas Rhett/Life Changes/The Valory Music Co.
Toby Keith/The Bus Songs/Show Dog
Stephanie Quayle/Love The Way You See Me/Rebel Engine
Sean McConnell/Undone [acoustic]/Rounder Records
Gregg Allman/Southern Blood/Rounder Records
Scooter Brown Band/American Son/Red River-BFD-Sony Orchard

September 15
Big & Rich/Did It For The Party
Various/A Tribute to John D. Loudermilk/Vector Recordings
Willie Watson/Folksinger Vol. 2/Acony Records
Radney Foster/For You To See The Stars [book/album]/The Devil’s River Records
George Strait/Pure Country [vinyl]

September 22
Midland/On The Rocks/Big Machine Records
Chris Janson/Everybody/Warner Bros.-WAR
Mac McAnally/Southbound/Mailboat
Home Free/Timeless/Columbia
Christian Lopez/Red Arrow/Blaster Records
Steve Earle/The Mountain[Reissue]/Warner Bros.
Steve Earle/Transcendental Blues [Reissue]/Warner Bros.
Steve Earle/Sidetracks [Reissue]/Warner Bros.

September 29
Shania Twain/Shania Now/Mercury Nashville
Dolly Parton/I Believe In You [digital]/RCA Nashville-Dolly Records
Chase Rice/Lambs & Lions/Broken Bow Records
Little Feather/Little Feather/Curb
Matt Redman/Glory Song/sixstepsrecords-Capitol CMG
Steve Earle/Jerusalem [Reissue]/Warner Bros.
Steve Earle/Just An American Boy [Reissue]/Warner Bros.
Steve Earle/The Revolution Starts Now [Reissue]/Warner Bros.

Industry Events

September 4
CMA Announces Final Nominees

September 7
Nightfall at the hall for Troubador Society

September 11
18th Annual Miller Harris Golf Tournament at the Temple Hills Country Club in Franklin TN

September 12-17
AmericanaFest

September 13

  • Americana’s 16th Annual Honors & Awards held at the Ryman Auditorium
  • Music City Walk of Fame ceremony for Little Big Town, the late Lula C. Naff and Tom Ryman

September 15
Last day to join Recording Academy to receive first ballot

September 15-17
Music City Food + Wine Festival

September 19
ASCAP Christian Awards at the Franklin Theater in Franklin, Tennessee

September 23-24
Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival at the Park at Harlinsdale in Franklin

September 26-30
IBMA’s World Of Bluegrass in Raleigh, N.C.

September 28
IBMA Awards Show at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh, N.C. at 7:30 p.m.

Friday Night’s Live On The Green Event Postponed

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Live On The Green’s Friday night (Sept. 1) show has been moved to Sunday, Sept. 3 due to ongoing inclement weather.

The event site will open at 12:30 p.m., with music beginning at 1:45 p.m. Sheryl Crow will perform at 8:30 p.m. Other artists confirmed for the show include Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors, SHEL, Goodbye June, Ron Gallo, and The Whistles & The Bells.

Live On The Green’s Saturday (Sept. 2) show will go on as scheduled.

All VIP Lounge and VIP backstage tickets for Friday will be honored on Sunday (Sept. 3). Refunds will be available for those who are unable to attend. All VIP Lounge and VIP Backstage tickets for the Thursday, (Aug. 31) show, which was also canceled due to inclement weather, will be honored for either Saturday (Sept. 2) or Sunday (Sept. 3).

So Much MOORE Media Inks Deal With Bernie Faulkner

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Bernie Faulkner

Former Exile member Bernie Faulkner has signed with Martha Moore‘s so much MOORE media for PR representation for his upcoming project, Pot Belly Stove. Faulkner played B3 Organ, acoustic guitar, sax and sang background vocals during Exile’s rock days in the mid-’60s and ’70s.

Americanafest Announces Additional Performers, Including The Lumineers, Wynonna & The Big Noise

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The Americana Music Association℠ has announced 12 additional artists slated to perform at the 18th Annual AMERICANAFEST℠: The Americana Music Festival & Conference, which runs from Sept. 12-17 in Nashville, Tennessee.

The six-day festival will fill the city with legends, newcomers, award winners, and buzz bands, showcasing the breadth of Americana’s influence. With almost 300 artists and bands participating, the event promises to be, as described by MOJO Magazine, the “roots alternative to the GRAMMYs® and South by Southwest.”

Additional Artists:
Michaela Anne
Eliot Bronson
Grizzlee Train
Joe Henry
Ray Wylie Hubbard
I Draw Slow
Dawn Landes
Aaron Lewis
Lydia Luce
The Lumineers
Joe Pug
Wynonna & The Big Noise

View the full list of performers here.

MusiCares Announces Relief Fund For Music Industry Members Affected By Hurricane Harvey

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MusiCares is lending a hand to those affected by the devastation of Hurricane Harvey by establishing a relief fund to support members of the music community affected by the storm. Assistance will include help with basic living expenses such as shelter, food, utilities, transportation, medical expenses, doctor and hospital bills, medications, clothing, instrument and recording equipment replacement, relocation costs, home repairs, debris removal, and more.

Industry members seeking assistance can contact the South Regional MusiCares office at 615.327.0050 or toll-free at 877.626.2748 or apply online at grammy.com/sites/com/files/mc_disaster_relief_app.pdf. MusiCares’ services are completely confidential.

Those wanting to donate to the fund can visit grammy.com/musicares/donations and choose “Hurricane Relief” in the gift designation drop-down menu. The Recording Academy has also implemented a Hurricane Harvey employee donation program, which matches donations made by its staff dollar-for-dollar up to $20,000. Previous’ disaster relief efforts were also organized for victims of the Gulf and Nashville floods, as well as Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Katrina.

“Now is a time when we must come together and take care of those who need help, as we are only just beginning to understand how life-altering Hurricane Harvey will be for its victims and their communities,” said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of the Recording Academy™ and MusiCares. “It’s important that we step up and support the creative community, and take action to provide immediate assistance to members of our music family.”

 

EVAmore To Host Rooftop Celebration At BMI

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Nashville music tech company EVAmore (Events, Venues, Artists & more), whose online platform automates booking live entertainment, is hosting its own event this month – a rooftop party which will showcase their top-booked live acts. “EVA’s Social” will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 6 p.m. at BMI’s Nashville office.

“EVAmore is hosting this event to keep our event planners in the know with a showcase of live entertainment that is currently receiving the highest number of bookings this month on our automated online platform,” says Channing Moreland, CEO / Co-Founder EVAmore.

An RSVP is required for the free event via Eventbrite at eventbrite.com/e/evas-social-tickets-37108191600. 

Eric Church Captures Magic Tour Moments On ’61 Days In Church’

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Eric Church is letting fans relive the magic moments on his tour through a new live album, 61 Days In Church. Church recorded the project over the course of sixty-one shows in a five-month period, where he played an average of 37 songs per night.

Beginning Friday (Sept. 1), fans will have access to 30 initial live recordings from various stops across North America. The tracks will initially be released only on the Apple Music platform for a two-week period before being made available on all streaming services.

Following Sept. 1, subsequent tracks including some catalogue and cover songs as well as songs inspired by events that happened while he was on the road, will be released chronologically through the end of the year to complete the list. The unique, individual tour posters from each stop will serve as the artwork for each week’s release.

“I had so much fun learning songs that were unique to whatever city we found ourselves in,” Church reflects. “I learned a lot about each place, and it was special to see the crowd react to the songs that were only for them.  I’m glad we recorded it and can relive it forever.”

A double disc collectible boxed set and vinyl version of the project is slated for release via EMI Records Nashville on Record Store Day, April 21 2018.

Bertelsmann Announces BMG Revenues Increase 28 Percent For First Half Of Year

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Bertelsmann credits recent developments in Nashville with a portion of its increase in global revenue for the first half of 2017 of €8.1 billion.

In results for the first six months of 2017, the music sector of the company, BMG, increased revenues by 28 percent to €233m (H1 2016: €182 million) while operating EBITDA increased by 25 percent to €40m (H1 2016: €32 million), noting the vast majority of growth was organic rather than through acquisition.

“BMG continu[es] to outpace the market and competitors, paying out more of our revenue in royalties to artists and songwriters than any of the established players (while generating a better return),” said Paki Newell, Senior Director, U.S. Corporate Communications.

The returns are credited in large part due to Nashville with BMG’s biggest single acquisition in the recording business since its launch in 2008. Credit was given to BBR Music Group (Broken Bow Records, Stoney Creek Records, Wheelhouse Records and Red Bow Records, and music publisher Magic Mustang Music) and the Bertelsmann music subsidiary also achieving success in the publishing segment by renewing contracts with songwriter Hillary Lindsey.

Additional mention is made for BMG’s earnings in the United Kingdom Europe and Australia. BMG signed contracts with international artists such as Avril Lavigne, Fergie, Kylie Minogue in the UK and Mando Diao in Germany. The company additionally experienced chart success with clients Nickelback (records) and DJ Khaled (music publishing), with significant chart success including shares in the international hits “I’m the One,” “Despacito” and “Wild Thoughts” and Roger Waters’s album “Is This the Life We Really Want?”

Read more at bertelsmann.com.

Cavalia Odysseo Offers Up Thrilling Music City Debut

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The massive white 58,000 square-foot big top across from the Gaylord Opryland Hotel was abuzz with excitement Wednesday night (Aug. 30) as Mayor Megan Barry, Senator Bill Frist, artists like Chris Young and Tracy Lawrence, local council members, and thousands of Nashvillians welcomed the anticipated arrival of Cavalia Odysseo’s Music City debut.

The breathtaking theatrical experience featuring 50 horses and an array of equestrians, acrobats, dancers, aerialists, and musicians finally arrived in Nashville after six years of touring the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, making us the 30th city to host the spectacular multi-million dollar production.

Cavalia Artistic Director and Creator Normand Latourelle, (who co-founded Cirque Du Soleil,) welcomed the eager crowd, saying Nashville was by far the warmest and friendliest city they had encountered throughout their extensive travels. Mayor Barry acknowledged the work it took and initiative by several council members to convince the Montreal-based Cavalia company to come to town before the curtain unveiled on the set, which is a marvel in itself.

An 8,400 square-foot screen projects the multitude of scenic backdrops used in the massive production, and the 17,000 square-foot stage is covered in 10,000 tons of a sand/earth mixture providing the horses plenty of room to roam and run. At one point in the production, an actual lake is created by flooding the stage for the four-legged stars to frolic in with their riders. Picturesque waterfalls, serene mountain pastures, and even an African desert are created in an almost 3-D like way to take the audience on the magical journey that is Odysseo.

From the pulse-pounding excitement of trick riders barreling across the stage unmounting and mounting back in the saddle at high speeds to the soul-stirring simple beauty of a pack of Lusitanos roaming free then on command lining up into perfect groups and marching towards the stage, the show offers plenty of jaw-dropping and unforgettable moments. Cirque Du Soleil fans will find plenty of moments to love as well in the ethereal numbers like the life-sized carousel segment, which blends horses and aerialists in an almost dreamlike way.

With visual beauty at every turn, heart-stopping action from the beautiful stallions gathered onstage, live music that accompanies each montage, and talented dancers and acrobats bounding across the stage at every turn, Odysseo is truly a can’t miss during its stop in Music City. Due to high demand, the company has extended its run in Nashville through September 17 before the rolling city of 110 semis transporting the world’s largest touring production heads off to its next destination.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jerry Esposito, Brother Of WMN Chairman/CEO John Esposito, Passes

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Pictured (L-R): Jerry Esposito and John Esposito in 1976.

Jerry Esposito, brother of Warner Music Nashville Chairman and CEO John Esposito, passed away Thursday (Aug. 31) at his home in Shelburne, Vermont, following a heroic battle with cancer. Funeral arrangements are pending for “Espo’s” older brother, who was born three years to the day before him.