ACM Awards Promise Plenty Of Interesting Pairings

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This year’s ACM Awards set for Sunday night (April 2) will be duo-heavy as tons of stars team up for performances on the 52nd annual awards ceremony. Among the artists collaborating on the telecast will be 14-time ACM Award-winner and former host Reba McEntire with contemporary Christian artist Lauren Daigle performing “Back to God,” Tim McGraw and Faith Hill performing the world TV premiere of their new single “Speak To a Girl,” Thomas Rhett and Maren Morris teaming up for “Craving You,” Cole Swindell and Dierks Bentley rocking on “Flatliner,” Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban performing their duet “The Fighter,” and Florida Georgia Line joining forces with tourmates the Backstreet Boys on a medley of tunes.

Brett Eldredge and Old Dominion have been added to the previously announced list of performers on the show, and presenters taking the stage this year include Lauren Alaina, Bobby Bones, Kane Brown, Savannah Chrisley, Todd Chrisley, Kacey Musgraves, Nancy O’Dell, Jake Owen, Kellie Pickler, Darius Rucker, Elliott Sadler, Miss America Savvy Shields, and Bubba Wallace.

The official red carpet pre-show for the “52nd Academy of Country Music Awards” will live stream exclusively on Twitter on April 2, starting at 6 p.m. ET.

Rascal Flatts Reveals Tracks, Songwriters On New CD ‘Back To Us’

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Rascal Flatts has revealed the track list for their tenth studio album Back To Us. The trio will release a 10-song standard album to all retailers May 19, while a 13-track Deluxe edition is available now for pre-order exclusively on Amazon.

With 12 of the 13 songs produced by the group and spearheaded by bassist Jay DeMarcus, the album includes a collaboration with Lauren Alaina, “Are You Happy Now,” a tune penned by Dan + Shay, Cary Barlowe, and Jesse Frasure, “Hopin’ You Were Lookin’” and the Chris Stapleton-Luke Laird penned “Vandalized.” Producer busbee also contributes a track he wrote and produced, “Hands Talk” to the deluxe album.

Rascal Flatts will perform the album’s lead single, “Yours If You Want It” at the 52nd ACM Awards live from Las Vegas on April 2 on CBS.

Back To Us  – Track List:
Yours If You Want It – (Andrew Dorff, Jonathan Singleton)
Back To Us – (Cary Barlowe, David Hodges, Josh Thompson)
I Know You Won’t – (Steve McEwan, Wendell Lee Mobley, Neil Thrasher)
Hopin’ You Were Lookin’ – (Cary Barlowe, Jesse Frasure, Shay Mooney, Dan Smyers)
Dance – (Joe Don Rooney, Blair Daly, Troy Verges)
Are You Happy Now (with Lauren Alaina) – (Jay DeMarcus, Gary LeVox, Joe Don Rooney, Sean McConnell)
Love What You’ve Done With The Place – (Benjy Davis, Shay Mooney)
Kiss You While I Can – (Jay DeMarcus, Steven Lee Olsen, Greg Wells)
Vandalized – (Luke Laird, Chris Stapleton)
Our Night To Shine – (Gary LeVox, Chris DeStefano, Travis Hill)Deluxe Edition – Tracks Exclusive To Amazon:
Hands Talk – (Gary LeVox, busbee, Jon Nite)
Thieves – (Jay DeMarcus, Gary LeVox, Scooter Carusoe, Chris DeStefano)
Roller Rink – (Nick Brophy, Jeffrey East, Jennifer Hanson)

Lee Brice Joins SESAC

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Lee Brice. Photo: Ryan Smith

Singer-songwriter Lee Brice has signed with SESAC for representation.

As an artist, Brice’s chart-topping singles include “I Drive Your Truck,” “Drinking Class,” and “Love Like Crazy.” He has penned songs including his own “I Don’t Dance,” in addition to Garth Brooks’ “More Than A Memory,” Tim McGraw’s “Still,” and Eli Young Band’s “Crazy Girl.”

“Lee is one of the most skillful lyricists and admired vocalists in country music,” said SESAC chairman and CEO John Josephson. “His creative versatility and wide-ranging lyrics not only resonates with his many fans but also his peers across the industry. We’re very proud to welcome Lee to the SESAC family.”

“I’m proud to be part of the SESAC family. John and the SESAC team are doing great things on behalf of artists and songwriters, and I’m thrilled to be part of their family of creatives,” says Lee.

MTSU’S WMOT Roots Radio Affiliates With VuHaus For Video Outlet

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MTSU’s WMOT Roots Radio 89.5 FM has affiliated with VuHaus, a web platform that showcases music videos and livestreams created by public radio stations.

The partnership is officially being launched today, March 28, at 5 p.m. CT, with a live performance of the Americana/folk band The Stray Birds from the Aurora Nashville studios in downtown Nashville that will be broadcast at wmot.org and vuhaus.com/nashville.

“WMOT is thrilled to join VuHaus as an affiliate to present Americana music and artists with partner World Cafe in Nashville,” says Val Hoeppner, executive director of WMOT Roots Radio. “At WMOT, we are building a culture of discovery, and this partnership will further our efforts to bring attention to Nashville artists and the sound that is distinctly our Middle Tennessee heritage.”

Radio and online broadcast, WMOT has been a charter member of National Public Radio (NPR) since 1969, serving as the region’s only Americana music channel. The 100,000-watt professional station, housed in the Center for Innovation in Media inside the university’s Bragg Media and Entertainment Building, changed formats last September from its classical, jazz and news-talk focus to Americana in a partnership with Music City Roots, a Nashville-based firm that provides programming for both radio and television.

Last October the station teamed with the NPR-distributed World Cafe from WXPN in Philadelphia to create a new Nashville-headquartered content hub, World Cafe Nashville, focusing on expanded coverage of music and artists from Nashville and the South. Currently WMOT airs World Cafe each night at 10 CT. The program was launched in 1991 and features a mix of artist interviews and in-studio performances from almost every musical genre.

“In launching World Cafe Nashville with NPR Music as a southern hub for World Cafe, we were delighted to partner with a great local station in WMOT,” says Roger LaMay, general manager of WXPN and chair of the VuHaus board of directors. Extending this commitment to exposing the incredible music of Nashville and the region to a video channel on VuHaus is an important next step.”

 

Deana Carter Celebrates 20th Anniversary Of ‘Did I Shave My Legs For This?’ With Vinyl Release

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Deana Carter is celebrating the 20th anniversary of her multi-platinum selling 1996 debut album Did I Shave My Legs For This? by re-releasing the album in a special vinyl edition, beginning March 31.

Fans will have the opportunity to purchase a limited-edition bundle which will include an autographed copy of the vinyl album along with a vintage t-shirt and autographed guitar.

Following its release, Did I Shave My Legs For This? climbed to the top of the country charts and sold over five million copies worldwide. The album was nominated for three Grammys and features the chart-topper “Strawberry Wine,” which won the CMA Single of the Year trophy. Carter penned six of the 11 songs on the album, including “Count Me In” and “How Do I Get There.”

All fan packages and purchase information are available at umgn.us/DCUMGNPR.

Did I Shave My Legs For This? Track Listing
Side One
1 I’ve Loved Enough to Know
2 We Danced Anyway
3 Count Me In
4 If This Is Love
5 Love Ain’t Worth Making
6 Before We Ever Heard Goodbye

Side Two
1 How Do I Get There
2 Strawberry Wine
3 That’s How You Know It’s Love
4 Did I Shave My Legs for This?
5 To the Other Side

Webster Public Relations Signs The Judds

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The Judds. Photo: Matthew Rolston and courtesy of OWN.

Webster Public Relations has signed The Judds for publicity services.

“When you think back about the songs that defined the 1980’s in Country Music, the names of Wynonna and Naomi are at the top of the list,” says Webster Public Relations president Kirt Webster. “I was honored to work with them during The Last Encore Tour in 2010 and 2011, and am humbled and excited to announce their signing and once again promote The Judds to the masses!”

Both mother and daughter began their musical journey in Ashland, Kentucky, and lived in California for a brief period during the 1970’s before moving to Nashville. The two quickly found a regular slot on WSM-TV’s The Ralph Emery Show. The duo signed with RCA Nashville in 1983, and made their chart debut by the end of the year with “Had A Dream (For The Heart).”

For the rest of the 1980’s, each single from The Judds released by RCA reached the Top 10 on radio, with 14 singles reaching the No. 1 spot. They have earned six Grammy awards, nine Academy of Country Music awards (including the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award), nine Country Music Association awards, and sold over 20 million units worldwide.

The Judds embarked on their Farewell Tour in 1991, after Naomi’s diagnosis of Hepatitis C forced her to retire from the road. Wynonna launched a successful solo career with her self-titled debut album, earning a 5x multi-Platinum certification and her first three singles reaching No. 1 on the country charts. Naomi focused on her health, beating the disease, writing several New York Times best-selling books and becoming a motivational speaker. The duo has returned to the stage on several occasions since, including the successful Last Encore Tour in 2010-2011 and a Las Vegas residency in 2015.

In Pictures: Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Drake White, Chase Rice, Walker McGuire, Liz Rose, Lee Miller

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Blair And Miranda Discuss Scooby Snacks

(L-R:) Miranda Lambert, Blair Garner, and Blair’s dog, Scooby. Photo: Miranda Lambert

Miranda Lambert recently sat down for an interview with Blair Garner, host of the syndicated late night radio show, The Blair Garner Show, at the NASH Campus. The two discussed their mutual obsessions with dogs, restoring vintage cars and Airstream trailers, and music. Garner brought his dog Scooby, who lost his lower jaw to a cancerous tumor, in for some questions and a selfie with the singer.

 

Tim And Faith Celebrate Girl Speak Success

(L-R): Steve Hodges, Luke Jensen, Jenny Shearin, Abi Fishbone, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Ali O’Connell, Lauren Thomas, Josh Easler, Rusty Sherrill, Randy Goodman

Tim and Faith gathered with their new Sony/Arista Nashville family on Monday (March 27) to celebrate 146 first-week station adds for their new single, “Speak To A Girl.”

 

Drake White Lights ‘Spark’ In New York And Boston

Photo: Andy Hawkes

Drake White brought his high-energy SPARK Tour to sold-out crowds at New York City’s Gramercy Theater on Thursday (March 24) and Boston’s Paradise Rock Club on Friday (March 25). Drake heads south over the next two months with a stop at the Tortuga Music Festival in Ft. Lauderdale on April 9 before the SPARK Tour resumes with back-to-back sold-out shows in Nashville on April 12 and 13 at Exit/In.

 

Chase Rice Goes Back To Georgia Pub Roots

Photo: Rick Diamond Getty Images

Chase Rice played his first three “Pub Shows” last weekend at select venues throughout Georgia. Rice named the limited series of club dates after his own “Pub 44” backstage hang, re-creating the intimate, feel-good vibe of his early dive-bar-playing days. All three of the weekend shows in Rome, Valdosta, and Columbus, Georgia, were packed to capacity as die-hard fans heard some new material from Rice’s forthcoming studio album for the first time.

 

Walker McGuire Meets With Westwood One

(L-R): Jordan Walker, George King, Penny Mitchell, Johnny McGuire

Walker McGuire recently stopped by to visit with execs from Westwood One while on a radio tour.

 

Liz Rose, Lee Miller Petition Copyright Royalty Board

Nashville Songwriters Association International President Lee Miller and Board Member Liz Rose recently testified in a Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) rate proceeding in Washington DC. NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison and past-President Steve Bogard have already testified, seeking higher mechanical royalty rates from digital streaming services.

Katy Epley Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary With Musicians On Call

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Katy Epley, Executive Vice President of Musicians On Call, is celebrating 10 years with the organization that she helped bring to Nashville. During her decade with the company, Epley has helped Musicians On Call facilitate local visits by artists including Kelly Clarkson, Imagine Dragons, Keith Urban, Charles Esten, Darius Rucker, Kelsea Ballerini, Brantley Gilbert, Hunter Hayes and more. To date, Musicians On Call has played for 100,000 patients, families and caregivers in Nashville hospitals and well over 500,000 nationwide.

“Katy Epley has been the backbone of Musicians On Call for the past 10 years, ” said Pete Griffin, President of Musicians On Call. “No one better exemplifies what MOC stands for and the values we share with the Nashville community than Katy. Her passion, hard work, dedication and kindness have not only made MOC such a strong program in Nashville, but have helped our organization grow to 23 cities nationwide. The entire MOC family is excited celebrate this fantastic milestone with her.”

MOC will kick off the celebration of its 10th anniversary with a campaign including high-profile hospital visits, a community engagement campaign and a high-profile celebration event in the Fall.

Industry Ink: Jon Pardi, HoriPro, Patsy Cline Museum, David Nathan

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Jon Pardi Celebrates RIAA Gold Certification

Capitol Records Nashville’s Jon Pardi celebrates “Dirt On My Boots” earning RIAA Gold certification, recognizing its sales and streaming topping 500,000.

Pardi was surprised with a plaque commemorating the success while visiting ABC’s Good Morning America last week with Ginger Zee for National Puppy Day.

“Dirt On My Boots,” written by Rhett Akins, Jesse Frasure and Ashley Gorley, follows Pardi’s No. 1 Platinum-selling smash, “Head Over Boots.” Both tunes are featured on his No. 1-debuting album, California Sunrise.

 

HoriPro Entertainment Group To Honor Dave Hall, Jody Williams 

HoriPro Entertainment Group will host the 2017 HoriPro Honors Golf Tournament at Henry Horton State Park on April 28. The daylong event will include dinner and drinks, live music, awards, and a bonfire. All proceeds will benefit the T.J. Martell Foundation.

Dave Hall and Jody Williams will be the honorees for the 2017 tournament. Hall started in the industry by performing worldwide with some of country music’s biggest acts and now offers his decades of experience to HoriPro as Executive Advisor of the royalty department and creative team. Williams now directs all writer/publisher relations activities in BMI’s Nashville office after a successful career working in creative positions for many major publishers.

Contact Courtney Crist at 615-255-9837 or courtney@horipro.com for more information on how to sign up or sponsor the event.

 

Patsy Cline Museum Opening To Feature Patsy Cline Wax Figure

Madame Tussauds Nashville, which opens in Opry Mills April 14, is teaming up with the Patsy Cline Museum to celebrate the museum’s opening on April 7 in downtown Nashville. The wax attraction’s Patsy Cline figure will be featured at Cline’s museum through April 9 before finding its permanent home at the wax hall.

“This will be the first time in more than 50 years that fans will get to grab a photo with Patsy,” says Patsy Cline Museum Founder, Bill Miller. “What is absolutely incredible about Madame Tussauds’ figure is that our patrons will be able to touch, snap photos and experience an exact likeness of the icon. We are honored to work with their team to create this unique offering.”

The Patsy Cline Museum is located at 119 Third Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37202, and will be open from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. daily after April 7.

 

David Nathan Joins Management Team For New Artist Jessie Chris

David Nathan

Music exec David Nathan has joined the management team for artist Jessie Chris, joining with artist manager Jeff Gulko. Nathan previously served as Sr. VP, Promotion and Artist Development for Republic Records, before joining Big Machine Label Group in 2014.

Jessie Chris released her single “Burn” to radio. She is one of the faces for Disney’s #choosekindness anti-bullying campaign.

Kate Bowen Inks With Neon Cross, Warner/Chappell

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Photography credit: Sebastian Smith

Kate Bowen has signed a publishing deal with Neon Cross Music and Warner Chappell. Neon Cross, the publishing and production company owned by producer Jay Joyce, is also home to Jeremy Spillman, Devin Dawson, Andrea Davidson, and Brandon Lancaster with LANco.

“Kate’s genuine and uncompromising approach to songwriting and artistry is a perfect fit for the vision Jay and I have for all the creators at Neon Cross,” said Neon Cross’ Melissa Spillman. “She has an extraordinary talent we can’t wait to share with Nashville and beyond.”