Natalie Hemby performs at San Carlos Theater during Key West Songwriters Festival
Today, numerous singer-songwriters descend on Key West to celebrate the 22nd annual Key West Songwriters Festival.
A massive lineup that includes Maren Morris, Old Dominion, Cam, Lauren Alaina, Shawn Camp, William Michael Morgan, Michael Ray, Luke Combs, Aaron Watson, Steve Cropper and Robert Earl Keen play alongside a party of Nashville luminaries and rising writers. The five-day festival, slated for May 10-14, will feature more than 50 free shows at various venues around the area, incorporating performances from more than 200 songwriters.
Key West Songwriters Festival founder Charlie Bauer has been managing venues in Key West since 1988, when he opened Hog’s Breath Saloon. The venue featured three shows a day, featuring singer-songwriters. A struggling songwriter presented him with the idea of offering performing rights organizations the chance to bring writers to Key West to play shows. Key West Songwriters Festival’s first year came in 1995, and featured six songwriters, including Shel Silverstein and Mickey Newbury.
Performing rights organization BMI stepped in as a partner and sponsor in 1996, helping to grow the festival into one of the country’s most unique songwriter festivals.
“At the time Mark Mason was with BMI and he offered for me to come back to Nashville with him, to introduce me to publishers and really crank it up to the next level,” Bauer recalls. “I was also booking songwriters to play the Hog’s Breath, so I was well-received in Nashville. I had a bar in Key West where songwriters could come down and play some of their original stuff and kind of get feedback on their original music and make some money too, so I was pretty popular when I came up to Nashville.”
Though the festival has attracted top artists over the past two decades, Bauer says the emphasis is still on the songwriters, and that the event’s growth has been organic.
“If you follow the chronologic lineups of our show over the years, a lot of the major artists were down here performing as singer-songwriters either on their own or with publishers. Everybody from Lee Brice to Randy Houser to Florida Georgia Line to Maren [Morris] and Kacey [Musgraves], all these people were down here sometimes four or five years in a row. Almost all of them have been down here performing. Our alumni is pretty much everyone who has been around the past 25 years or so.
Wendell Mobley performs at Sloppy Joe’s during Key West Songwriters Festival.
“We want the singer-songwriters here. We don’t try to get the big name acts. What has happened is a lot of them became big name acts and it’s cool that they will still come down, because they are not getting paid for these shows.”
Bauer says 90 percent of the festival is made of free concerts. Additionally, there are seven larger theater shows throughout the event. Each day will feature music at venues including Pier House Resort Beach, Sloppy Joe’s, Green Parrot Bar, and special events including the NSAI “Bluebird at Blue Heaven” show and the closing concert at Casa Marina Resort.
“It’s one of the few festivals where you can see so much free music. I’ve tried to keep it as a local event. I get a lot of tempting offers for people to come in and have outside vendors for food and other things, but we try to keep it local for local businesses.”
As word of Key West Songwriters Festival has spread over the past several years, Bauer says the festival has continually attracted more of Nashville’s music industry.
“It used to be kind of a way for writers to get away from Nashville to have some more fun, and now the industry’s kind of followed them down here.”
Charlie Feldman (BMI), Robert Earl Keen, and Charlie Bauer.
As country music and Nashville’s songwriters have incorporated various musical styles into their work over the past several years, so has the Key West Songwriters Festival. “We are following along with the lead that country music is heading. There’s a lot of pop involved and a lot of Nashville writers are not necessarily country writers. They go there to co-write and to work on their craft. When they come down to the festival, it’s fun to hear them perform songs that you wouldn’t necessarily hear on the country station, and maybe not on radio at all. It’s fun to let them cut loose and hear them play stuff they have written.”
Given the long-running popularity of Key West Songwriters Festival, Bauer says he is considering launching a new festival in late 2017 or early 2018.
“We are thinking of going a little more pop-oriented, and there is a lot of Latin influence here, too. Some of those performers are coming down from Miami and LA, too, and mixing up the genres a bit. “
Proceeds from the Key West Songwriters Festival will benefit the BMI Foundation, which supports creation, performance, and study of music via awards, scholarships, grants and commissions.
Bob DiPiero, Robert Earl Keen, Charlie Worsham
Exclusive: Key West Songwriters Festival Celebrates 22 Years
/by Jessica NicholsonNatalie Hemby performs at San Carlos Theater during Key West Songwriters Festival
Today, numerous singer-songwriters descend on Key West to celebrate the 22nd annual Key West Songwriters Festival.
A massive lineup that includes Maren Morris, Old Dominion, Cam, Lauren Alaina, Shawn Camp, William Michael Morgan, Michael Ray, Luke Combs, Aaron Watson, Steve Cropper and Robert Earl Keen play alongside a party of Nashville luminaries and rising writers. The five-day festival, slated for May 10-14, will feature more than 50 free shows at various venues around the area, incorporating performances from more than 200 songwriters.
Key West Songwriters Festival founder Charlie Bauer has been managing venues in Key West since 1988, when he opened Hog’s Breath Saloon. The venue featured three shows a day, featuring singer-songwriters. A struggling songwriter presented him with the idea of offering performing rights organizations the chance to bring writers to Key West to play shows. Key West Songwriters Festival’s first year came in 1995, and featured six songwriters, including Shel Silverstein and Mickey Newbury.
Performing rights organization BMI stepped in as a partner and sponsor in 1996, helping to grow the festival into one of the country’s most unique songwriter festivals.
“At the time Mark Mason was with BMI and he offered for me to come back to Nashville with him, to introduce me to publishers and really crank it up to the next level,” Bauer recalls. “I was also booking songwriters to play the Hog’s Breath, so I was well-received in Nashville. I had a bar in Key West where songwriters could come down and play some of their original stuff and kind of get feedback on their original music and make some money too, so I was pretty popular when I came up to Nashville.”
Though the festival has attracted top artists over the past two decades, Bauer says the emphasis is still on the songwriters, and that the event’s growth has been organic.
“If you follow the chronologic lineups of our show over the years, a lot of the major artists were down here performing as singer-songwriters either on their own or with publishers. Everybody from Lee Brice to Randy Houser to Florida Georgia Line to Maren [Morris] and Kacey [Musgraves], all these people were down here sometimes four or five years in a row. Almost all of them have been down here performing. Our alumni is pretty much everyone who has been around the past 25 years or so.
Wendell Mobley performs at Sloppy Joe’s during Key West Songwriters Festival.
“We want the singer-songwriters here. We don’t try to get the big name acts. What has happened is a lot of them became big name acts and it’s cool that they will still come down, because they are not getting paid for these shows.”
Bauer says 90 percent of the festival is made of free concerts. Additionally, there are seven larger theater shows throughout the event. Each day will feature music at venues including Pier House Resort Beach, Sloppy Joe’s, Green Parrot Bar, and special events including the NSAI “Bluebird at Blue Heaven” show and the closing concert at Casa Marina Resort.
“It’s one of the few festivals where you can see so much free music. I’ve tried to keep it as a local event. I get a lot of tempting offers for people to come in and have outside vendors for food and other things, but we try to keep it local for local businesses.”
As word of Key West Songwriters Festival has spread over the past several years, Bauer says the festival has continually attracted more of Nashville’s music industry.
“It used to be kind of a way for writers to get away from Nashville to have some more fun, and now the industry’s kind of followed them down here.”
Charlie Feldman (BMI), Robert Earl Keen, and Charlie Bauer.
As country music and Nashville’s songwriters have incorporated various musical styles into their work over the past several years, so has the Key West Songwriters Festival. “We are following along with the lead that country music is heading. There’s a lot of pop involved and a lot of Nashville writers are not necessarily country writers. They go there to co-write and to work on their craft. When they come down to the festival, it’s fun to hear them perform songs that you wouldn’t necessarily hear on the country station, and maybe not on radio at all. It’s fun to let them cut loose and hear them play stuff they have written.”
Given the long-running popularity of Key West Songwriters Festival, Bauer says he is considering launching a new festival in late 2017 or early 2018.
“We are thinking of going a little more pop-oriented, and there is a lot of Latin influence here, too. Some of those performers are coming down from Miami and LA, too, and mixing up the genres a bit. “
Proceeds from the Key West Songwriters Festival will benefit the BMI Foundation, which supports creation, performance, and study of music via awards, scholarships, grants and commissions.
Bob DiPiero, Robert Earl Keen, Charlie Worsham
Warner Music Nashville Kicks Off 8th Annual Pickin’ On The Patio With Hunter Hayes May 24
/by Dan_StrassbergThe event, sponsored by Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, Tiger Beer, Aramark, Mighty Swell Sparkling Cocktails and Dr. Pepper, will start at 5:30 p.m. with doors opening at 5:00 p.m. Pickin’ on the Patio is held the last Wednesday of every month from May through September on the WMN Patio at 20 Music Square East.
Mark your calendars for the next one on June 28. In addition to May 24, and June 28, the Pickin’ on the Patio event will also be held on July 26, Aug. 23, and Sept. 27.
Americana Association Honors & Awards Nominees Announced
/by Jessica Nicholson(L-R), Back Row: Mike Cooley (Drive-By Truckers), Jason Isbell, Jerry Douglas, Caitlin Canty, Patterson Hood (Drive-By Truckers), Abi Tapia (Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum) / L-R, Front Row: Joey Ryan (The Milk Carton Kids), Jed Hilly, Executive Director (The Americana Music Association℠) and Kenneth Pattengale (The Milk Carton Kids) / Photo: Rick Diamond, Getty Images
The nominees for the Americana Music Association’s 16th annual Honors & Awards were announced on May 9 during an event at Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, hosted by Milk Carton Kids’ Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan. Performers during the event included Jerry Douglas, Jason Isbell, and Isbell’s former Drive-By Truckers bandmates Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley.
This year’s ceremony will be held Sept. 13 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, during the Americana Music Festival and Conference, which runs from Sept. 12-17.
This year’s nominees include:
Album of the Year
American Band, Drive-By Truckers, Produced by David Barbe
Close Ties, Rodney Crowell, Produced by Kim Buie and Jordan Lehning
Freedom Highway, Rhiannon Giddens, Produced David Bither, Rhiannon Giddens and Dirk Powell
The Navigator, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Produced by Paul Butler
A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, Sturgill Simpson, Produced by Sturgill Simpson
Artist of the Year:
Jason Isbell
John Prine
Lori McKenna
Margo Price
Sturgill Simpson
Duo/Group of the Year:
Billy Bragg & Joe Henry
Drive-By Truckers
Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives
The Lumineers
Emerging Artist of the Year:
Aaron Lee Tasjan
Amanda Shires
Brent Cobb
Sam Outlaw
Song of the Year:
“All Around You,” Sturgill Simpson, Written by Sturgill Simpson
“It Ain’t Over Yet,” Rodney Crowell (feat. Rosanne Cash & John Paul White), Written by Rodney Crowell
“To Be Without You,” Ryan Adams, Written by Ryan Adams
“Wreck You,” Lori McKenna, Written by Lori McKenna and Felix McTeigue
Instrumentalist of the Year:
Spencer Cullum, Jr.
Jen Gunderman
Courtney Hartman
Charlie Sexton
Luke Combs To Release Debut ‘This One’s For You’ On June 2
/by Jessica NicholsonThis One’s For You is produced by Scott Moffatt, while Sammy Mitchell and Jackie Boyz produced the track “One Number Away.”
This One’s For You follows Combs’ independently released EPs, including Can I Get An Outlaw (2014), The Way She Rides (2014) and This One’s For You – EP (2015).
Combs has already performed at the Tortuga Music Festival and will join Brantley Gilbert’s eight-month Devil Don’t Sleep Tour through September 2017 in addition to performances at Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, CMA Music Fest and Stagecoach Festival this summer.
“I couldn’t be more proud of this album. These songs mean so much to me and all my friends who I wrote them with,” shares Combs. “This project has been such a long time in the making and I can’t wait for the fans to hear it. I sincerely hope they enjoy the album because they are the reason I do what I do.”
This One’s For You will be available for pre-order at digital retailers and LukeCombs.com starting April 28.
This One’s For You Track Listing
1. Out There (Luke Combs, James McNair, Ray Fulcher, Jacob Bryant)
2. Memories Are Made Of (Luke Combs, Ray Fulcher, Cody Webb)
3. Lonely One (Luke Combs, Drew Parker, Erin Ashley O’Keefe)
4. Beer Can (Luke Combs, James McNair, Ray Fulcher)
5. Hurricane (Luke Combs, Thomas Archer, Taylor Phillips)
6. One Number Away (Luke Combs, Robert Williford, Sammy Mitchell, Steven Andre Battey)
7. Don’t Tempt Me (Luke Combs, Robert Williford, Joseph Michael Costa)
8. When It Rains It Pours (Luke Combs, Ray Fulcher, Jordan Walker)
9. This One’s For You (Luke Combs, Ray Fulcher, Pat Cooper)
10. Be Careful What You Wish For (Luke Combs, Rob Crosby, Ray Fulcher)
11. I Got Away With You (Luke Combs, Ray Fulcher, Tyler Reeve)
12. Honky Tonk Highway (Luke Combs, Ray Fulcher, Rob Crosby)
LOCASH, Maggie Rose Kick Off BMI’s New Rooftop Summer Concert Series
/by Lorie Hollabaugh“Rooftop On The Row” will include five concerts throughout the summer, and will include a mix of up-and-comers and established veterans. William Michael Morgan, Fairground Saints, Emily Earle, Aaron Lewis, and Walker McGuire are among the artists tapped to perform during the summer shows, with many more to be announced.
“We’re excited to host some of Nashville’s best country acts on the rooftop of BMI,” said Mason Hunter, Executive Director, Strategic Partnerships and Events. “We’ve got great music, top notch cocktails and an unbeatable view, making for an unforgettable evening. The whole series is going to be great.”
Warner Music Nashville Promotes Tim Foisset To VP, Streaming
/by Jessica NicholsonWarner Music Nashville has promoted Tim Foisset from Senior Director to Vice President, Streaming. The position reports to Senior Vice President, Radio & Streaming Kristen Williams.
“Tim is an integral part of the Radio & Streaming team, especially as we continue to see an evolution in how people discover and consume music,” said Williams. “He greets one of the most quickly-developing parts of our industry with an innovation and dedication that will serve our WMN artists well in the months and years to come.”
Foisset will continue to focus on maximizing marketing opportunities and revenue potential with Warner Music Nashville’s streaming partners including Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, Pandora, Amazon, Napster, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio, YouTube, VEVO, TouchTunes and more. His role as VP will allow him to drive the overall streaming strategy for WMN’s artists, new releases and catalog, in addition to guiding dedicated members of the Radio & Streaming team to execute.
“I’m excited to continue working with our great partners and artists, and grateful for the opportunity to work closely with Espo, Matt Signore, Peter Strickland, Kristen Williams and the most forward-thinking team in Nashville,” said Foisset. “Streaming is a big part of the future of our business, and I’m truly inspired to help navigate this label toward that future.”
Foisset began his career in 1998 at Burly Bear Network and later joined Fuse Networks as the Manager of Consumer Marketing. He moved to Razor & Tie in 2005 as Director of Digital Marketing, where he managed the label’s relationships with digital partners and oversaw online marketing initiatives.
Leslie Fram, Tracy Gershon, Sarah Trahern, Jessica Sobhraj Join Music Biz’s Leading Ladies Panel
/by Lorie HollabaughThe panel, set for Tuesday, May 16, will close the Music’s Leading Ladies Speak Out series of panels, which will kick off with a welcome presentation from Erin Crawford, SVP and General Manager of Nielsen Music, who will share exclusive insights, including female-focused data and fan affinity analytics, on the marketability of female artists. Ann Powers, a critic and correspondent at NPR Music, will then lead a keynote conversation with Julie Greenwald, Chairman and COO of the Atlantic Records Group, and GRAMMY-winning recording artist Kelly Clarkson. They will each share their experiences in the music business and discuss their path to success on their own terms.
The full agenda for the Music’s Leading Ladies Speak Out event can be found at musicbiz2017.sched.com
Music Biz 2017 runs from May 15-18 at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.
CMT Music Awards Announce Nominees
/by Jessica NicholsonThe nominees for this year’s CMT Music Awards have been announced.
This year, Kelsea Ballerini, Thomas Rhett and Keith Urban top the awards this year, with four nominations each.
Carrie Underwood, who holds the title of most CMT Music Awards wins, nabs three nominations this year, along with Florida Georgia Line, Lauren Alaina and Luke Bryan.
Fan voting is live at cmt.com and will continue through Monday, June 5 at 12:01 a.m. ET. The CMT Music Awards will be held Wednesday, June 7 at Nashville’s Music City Center and airing live beginning at 7 p.m. CT.
This year, the show will introduce a new category, Social Superstar of the Year, which honors the most creative and engaging social media posts by an artist. Nominees include Brett Eldredge, Jake Owen, Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini, Lauren Alaina and Thomas Rhett.
CMT Video of the Year
Artists of Then, Now, and Forever- “Forever Country”
Brad Paisley- “Today”
Brett Eldredge-“Wanna Be That Song”
Carrie Underwood-“Church Bells”
Cole Swindell-“Middle Of A Memory”
Dierks Bentley and Elle King- “Different For Girls”
Florida Georgia Line-“H.O.L.Y.”
Jon Pardi-“Dirt On My Boots”
Keith Urban – “Blue Ain’t Your Color”
Kelsea Ballerini – “Peter Pan”
Little Big Town- “Better Man”
Luke Bryan- “Huntin’, Fishin’, and Lovin’ Every Day”
Miranda Lambert- “Vice”
Thomas Rhett- “Star Of The Show”
Male Video of the Year
Blake Shelton- “Came Here To Forget”
Eric Church- “Record Year”
Jason Aldean-“Lights Come On”
Keith Urban-“Blue Ain’t Your Color”
Luke Bryan- “Huntin’, Fishin’, and Lovin’ Every Day”
Thomas Rhett-“Star Of The Show”
Female Video of the Year
Carrie Underwood-“Church Bells”
Kelsea Ballerini- “Peter Pan”
Lauren Alaina-“Road Less Traveled”
Maren Morris-“80s Mercedes”
Miranda Lambert-“Vice”
Reba McEntire-“Back To God”
Duo Video of the Year
Big & Rich ft. Tim McGraw- “Lovin’ Lately”
Brothers Osborne-“21 Summer”
Dan+Shay-“How Not To”
Florida Georgia Line-“H.O.L.Y.”
LOCASH-“I Know Somebody”
Group Video of the Year
Eli Young Band-“Saltwater Gospel”
Lady Antebellum-“You Look Good”
Little Big Town-“Better Man”
Midland-“Drinkin’ Problem”
Old Dominion-“Song For Another Time”
Breakthrough Video of the Year
Brett Young- “In Case You Didn’t Know”
Jon Pardi-“Dirt On My Boots”
Kane Brown-“Used To Love You Sober”
Lauren Alaina-“Road Less Traveled”
Luke Combs-“Hurricane”
RaeLynn-“Love Triangle”
Collaborative Video of the Year
Artists of Now, Then, and Forever-“Forever Country”
Chris Young ft. Vince Gill-“Sober Saturday Night”
Dierks Bentley ft. Elle King-“Different For Girls”
Florida Georgia Line ft. Tim McGraw-“May We All”
Keith Urban ft. Carrie Underwood-“The Fighter”
Kenny Chesney with Pink-“Setting The World On Fire”
CMT Performance Of The Year
Jason Aldean-“Hicktown” (from CMT Concert Of The Summer)
Jason Derulo and Luke Bryan-“Want To Want Me” (from CMT Crossroads)
John Mellencamp and Darius Rucker- “Pink Houses” (from CMT Crossroads)
Alicia Keys and Maren Morris-“80s Mercedes” (from CMT Crossroads)
Meghan Trainor, Jill Scott and Kelsea Ballerini-“You’re Still The One/Any Man of Mine/Man I Feel Like A Woman” (from CMT Artists of the Year)
Nick Jonas and Thomas Rhett- “Close” (from CMT Crossroads)
Social Superstar of the Year
Brett Eldredge
Jake Owen
Keith Urban
Kelsea Ballerini
Lauren Alaina
Thomas Rhett
‘American Idol’ Finds New Life On ABC
/by Lorie HollabaughA little more than a year after American Idol crowned its last singing star and went off the air, the show has been resurrected with a new life at ABC-TV. The network announced its acquisition of the show this morning on Good Morning America ahead of its renewals and series pickup announcements.
“‘American Idol’ on ABC…that has a nice ring to it,” said Ben Sherwood, co-chairman, Disney Media Networks and president, Disney|ABC. “‘Idol’ is an entertainment icon, and now it will air where it belongs, in ABC’s lineup of addictive fan favorites alongside ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and ‘The Bachelor.’ America, get ready for the return of a bigger, bolder and better-than- ever ‘Idol’.”
No details have been offered yet as to what the new configuration of the popular show, which ran for 15 seasons on Fox, would look like, and no on-camera talent has been announced yet.
The show signed off with a legion of still-loyal viewers, though its numbers had dissipated a bit in recent years. At the height of its popularity, the competition averaged 31 million weekly viewers for each of two telecasts, and ranked No. 1 in adults 18-49 for seven consecutive seasons. Its season premieres regularly out-rated the Oscars as the biggest entertainment telecasts of the year, and even towards the end, it garnered huge ratings, with the final season averaging a 3.0 rating among adults 18-49 and 11.5 million viewers.
”ABC’s passion and enthusiasm make them a perfect home for ‘American Idol,’ said Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO, FremantleMedia Group. “We are excited to be partnering with them to discover the next generation of talented artists. It’s an irresistible combination that means now is the ideal time to welcome back one of the most successful shows in the history of contemporary television.”
No word yet on whether longtime host Ryan Seacrest would potentially return to his hosting duties for the competition, which made household names out of artists like Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson, since he’s now at Disney as Kelly Ripa’s new full-time Live! co-host.
Watch the announcement below:
Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival Announces Daily Lineup
/by Jessica NicholsonJustin Timberlake, a partner and producer for the festival, will headline on Saturday, Sept. 23. Also on the Saturday lineup are The Avett Brothers, Gary Clark Jr., Walk The Moon, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Better Than Ezra, Shovels & Rope, Jerry Douglas Band, Nikki Lane, Colony House, Karen Elson, Ruby Amanfu with Steelism, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Colter Wall, The Texas Gentlemen, Sinclair, The Shadowboxers, Blackfoot Gypsies, Jillian Jacqueline, The Bros. Landreth, and Bishop Gunn.
The lineup for Sunday, Sept. 24 will feature Eddie Vedder, Ryan Adams, Mavis Staples, Fitz and The Tantrums, The Revivalists, Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives, Valerie June, Langhorne Slim, Joseph, The Sweet Tea Project, Pokey LaFarge, Amanda Shires, Larkin Poe, Muddy Magnolias, The Band of Heathens, Banditos, Kingfish, Devon Gilfillian, The Sisterhood, Towne, and The Settles Connection.
Single Day Pilgrimage Passes, available for $135, go on sale this Friday, May 12 at 10 a.m. CT at pilgrimagefestival.com.