Florida Georgia Line Reignite Dig Your Roots Tour
Pictured (L-R): Big Loud Mountain Partner and Record Producer Joey Moi, Live Nation’s Brian O’Connell, Big Loud Mountain Partner and Artist Manager Seth England, Chris Lane, FGL’s Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley, Dustin Lynch, Big Loud Mountain’s Partner and Artist Manager Kevin “Chief” Zaruk, and Partner and Songwriter Craig Wiseman
Florida Georgia Line reignited their Dig Your Roots Tour this past weekend, thrilling Tallahassee, Orlando and Miami, Florida, fans in a sold-out homecoming weekend for the duo’s Brian Kelley.
Drawing 40,000 plus people over three nights, Kelley and Georgia native Tyler Hubbard picked up right where they left off in 2016, which found them breaking attendance records and playing to over one million fans for the second year in a row.
The 2017 tour features Dustin Lynch and Chris Lane as supporting artists, as well as Seth Ennis, Ryan Follese and Morgan Wallen on select dates.
LeAnn Rimes To Be Honored By Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, announced that LeAnn Rimes will be honored with the Ally for Equality Award at the HRC Nashville Equality Dinner on Saturday, March 25, 2017.
“LeAnn Rimes is boldly using her influence in the music world to empower people to accept and be their true selves,” said Blake Brockway, co-chair of the HRC Nashville Equality Dinner. “An outspoken advocate for LGBTQ equality, she is also making a difference in the lives of countless young people across the country by standing up for LGBTQ youth and speaking out against bullying. We are thrilled to welcome LeAnn Rimes to the HRC Nashville Equality Dinner and honor her with the HRC Ally for Equality Award.”
The HRC Ally for Equality Award recognizes the outstanding efforts of those outside of the LGBTQ community who use their voice to publicly stand-up for equality for all Americans.
Rimes recently inked a worldwide deal with RCA UK, who will be releasing her 16th studio album, Remnants, on Feb. 3, 2017, along with her first U.S. single “Long Live Love.”
Josh Kear Performs During Troubadour Society Kickoff Event
Pictured (L-R): Troubadour Society Advisory Committee members Emilee Warner, Katie Cline, Songwriter Josh Kear, Troubadour Society Advisory Committee members Mandy Gallagher, and Leanne Weber
On Wednesday, Jan. 25, the Country Music Hall of Fame®and Museum hosted its annual Troubadour Society kickoff event for its members with a performance by award-winning songwriter Josh Kear in the museum’s rotunda.
Kear is a four-time Grammy nominated songwriter and recipient of the ACM Song of the Year for Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now.” Kear boasts a total of 11 No. 1 songs, with dozens of cuts by artists including Dierks Bentley, Labrinth, Charlie Puth, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban.
The Troubadour Society is the museum’s community of young leaders ages 21 to 40, who help to sustain the museum and its mission to preserve country music’s history for future generations. For more information about the Troubadour Society, visit countrymusichalloffame.org.
Top Songwriters Team For Brad Paisley Writers’ Round At CMHoF
Pictured (L-R): Chris DuBois, Ashley Gorley, Kelley Lovelace, Lee Thomas Miller
Hit songwriters Chris DuBois, Ashley Gorley, Kelley Lovelace and Lee Thomas Miller will be part of a special program, Writers’ Round: The Songs of Brad Paisley, at the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum Saturday, Feb. 18, at 2 p.m. in the museum’s Ford Theater.
Paisley has remained loyal to this quartet of writers throughout his career. They, in turn, have helped him achieve a consistent sound and a distinct, authentic voice. As longtime friends and collaborators with Paisley, the writers will share personal stories and offer insights into some of Paisley’s biggest hits.
Writers’ Round: The Songs of Brad Paisley is included with museum admission and is free to museum members. Limited seating is available, and a program pass is required. The program will be streamed live at countrymusichalloffame.org/streaming.
The program is presented in support of the exhibit Brad Paisley: Diary of a Player, at the museum through May 14, 2017.
Faster Horses Announces Fifth Season Lineup
/by Jessica NicholsonAdditional artists will be announced in the coming weeks for the Brooklyn, Michigan, festival. Passes for the three-day, two-stage camping festival will go on sale on Feb. 27 at fasterhorsesfestival.com.
Sirius XM, Live Nation Launch Highway Finds Tour With Moakler, Baldridge, Smithfield
/by Lorie HollabaughThe Highway Finds spotlight on SiriusXM is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to discovering new artists. Past Highway Finds breakthrough artists include Florida Georgia Line, Cole Swindell, Maren Morris, William Michael Morgan, and Chase Rice.
“We are excited to collaborate with Live Nation to take our latest Highway Finds from the SiriusXM airwaves to 26 cities across America. SiriusXM’s commitment to breaking new artists is unparalleled and we’re thrilled to support these three rising country stars,” said Steve Blatter, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Music Programming, SiriusXM.
The tour includes a Nashville date on Thursday, May 18 at Cannery Ballroom. For a full list of shows, visit ticketmaster.com.
‘Billboard’ Adds Pandora Streaming To Its Charts
/by Jessica NicholsonIn addition, Pandora will also impact various streaming-based charts, and Hot 100 formula-based genre rankings such as Hot Country Songs, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, Hot Latin Songs, Hot Rock Songs and Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, among others.
Pandora data will be incorporated into the Billboard charts and revealed on Billboard.com on Tuesday, January 31 (for charts dated February 11).
The Billboard charts already reflect data from on-demand streaming services including Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon and SoundCloud, as well as video on-demand platforms such as YouTube (including Vevo on YouTube), and streamed programming including Slacker, Google Radio, Napster and AOL Radio.
“Billboard’s unrivaled charts are the definitive source for ranking music popularity. For decades, the charts have acted as a place where both artists measure success and fans discover music,” says John Amato, co-president of The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group. “Close to 80 million music lovers listen to Pandora every month and we look forward to bringing our brands together to incorporate Pandora’s data into our charts.”
Pandora Founder and CEO Tim Westergren, said, “Over the last few years, Pandora has shared more and more data with the music industry. We started with artists and managers, then direct deal label partners, and now Billboard for inclusion in the iconic Hot 100 chart. With each step along the way our partners have been shocked by the sheer size of Pandora’s audience. Pandora is now the #1 radio station in 87 U.S. markets and represents roughly 10 percent of all radio listening. With the inclusion of Pandora data, the Billboard charts that have guided listeners and been so central to the music industry for decades now reflect a truer measure of a song’s popularity today. I’m thrilled that the ‘Pandora effect’ will now be formally recognized in the industry’s gold standard for measurement.”
Maren Morris and Alicia Keys to Perform on Grammys
/by Lorie HollabaughAlicia Keys (left) and Maren Morris collaborate for CMT Crossroads. / Terry Wyatt/Getty Images
Following their CMT Crossroads matchup, Maren Morris and 15-time Grammy winner Alicia Keys will team up again for a performance on the upcoming 59th Annual Grammy Awards Feb. 12. Morris is nominated for four Grammys this year, including Best New Artist, Best Country Album for Hero, Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance for “My Church.”
Other onstage collaborations just announced for this year’s show include Best New Artist contender Anderson .Paak, who will join legendary hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest and Dave Grohl, and The Weeknd, who will perform with Daft Punk.
Previously announced artists who will perform on this year’s telecast include John Legend, Bruno Mars, Metallica, Carrie Underwood, and Keith Urban.
The 59th Annual Grammy Awards will be broadcast live on CBS-TV beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
Performers Announced For MusicRow’s 15th Annual Country Radio Meet & Greet And CountryBreakout Awards
/by Eric T. ParkerPictured (L-R): Alex Smith (courtesy of artist), Rachael Turner (photo: Erik Xydis).
MusicRow, Nashville’s leading music industry publication, is proud to reveal rising country newcomers Rachael Turner (Rustic Records) and Alex Smith (Lila Records) as performers for the 2017 MusicRow Country Radio Meet & Greet and CountryBreakout Awards.
The invitation-only event will be held in February for subscribed members of MusicRow magazine, affiliates and country radio broadcasters just shortly ahead of the 2017 Country Radio Seminar.
“The MusicRow reporting panel represents some of the best stations in secondary markets and it is a privilege to shine a spotlight on the most-played artists from the CountryBreakout chart for the previous year, in addition to honoring an exemplary MusicRow chart reporter and giving nods to the songwriter with the most No. 1s,” says MusicRow Owner/Publisher Sherod Robertson. “We are excited to showcase two performances at the meet & greet with new artists also making waves on our chart, Alex Smith and Rachael Turner.”
The gathering will also reveal the winners of 2017 CountryBreakout Awards, tallied from their chart performances on the MusicRow chart in 2016. Those categories include Male Artist of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Group/Duo of the Year, Breakout Artist of the Year, Independent Artist of the Year, Label of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, and the selected Reporter of the Year honor.
In addition to exclusive editorial, each winner will be profiled in MusicRow‘s Country Radio print issue, which will debut at the Meet & Greet and CountryBreakout Awards. Complementary issues of MusicRow‘s Country Radio issue will be available at the CountryBreakout event and throughout the Country Radio Seminar. Subscribers will receive their print copies by mail. Additional issues will be available for purchase at musicrow.com or at the publication’s 17th Avenue headquarters in Nashville.
To receive your invite to the 2017 MusicRow Country Radio Meet & Greet and CountryBreakout Awards, subscribe today at musicrow.com.
Rachael Turner (Rustic Records): Rachael Turner’s vocals and unique spin on traditional and modern country have brought a breath of fresh air to the genre. Originally from Sugar Land, Texas, Rachael now resides in Nashville and is signed to long-standing independent record label, Rustic Records. Her first two singles peaked at No. 22 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout chart, including Turner’s “Aftershock,” which showcases her ability to blend classic country with modern influences. No stranger to the stage, Turner has almost 15 years of singing experience since her first solo performance at the ripe age of 11. As a performer throughout her teen years, Turner decided to take her experience and talents to Belmont University. It was there that she harnessed her skills with degrees in vocal performance and music business, and made the decision to pursue not only music, but country music. Turner’s passion for country music bloomed after falling in love with artists such as Martina McBride, Shania Twain, Jo Dee Messina and Faith Hill. Turner kicks off the New Year with the mid-tempo story-like song “Hurts Don’t It.” The new and current release showcases Turner’s range and flexibility while capturing the emotional turmoil involved in finding the strength to leave a toxic romance. For more information, contact Rustic Records, Inc. at rusticrecordsinc@aol.com.
Alex Smith (Lila Records): A baseball pitcher during high school in Alexandria, Louisiana, Alex Smith decided to pursue hits of a different kind after graduation. The personable 23-year-old commands attention, whether on stage, in music videos or on social media. Smith’s live-for-the-moment first single, “Load It Up,” has even climbed to No. 32 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout chart. Smith comes from two generations of musicians, with his father and grandfather’s influence. It wasn’t until his early teens that Smith decided to follow the same path his father had as a working musician. After playing the video game Guitar Hero, the youngster—who later regretted quitting piano lessons—became self-taught on the Taylor guitar his father gave him by watching YouTube instructional videos. While still in college in Lafayette, Louisiana, Smith took note of friends making good money from just a few hours of “work” while performing music around town. Smith landed a one-hour gig at a local daiquiri shop, which eventually led to playing enough venues to pay his way through school. The singer-songwriter began making trips to Nashville, and has since opened shows for Brett Eldredge and Uncle Kracker. He starts touring extensively in 2017 with his new band of Nashville musicians. Smith recorded his debut EP, Fear of Missing Out, at Blackbird Studios with producer Ryan Sutton. The project is available on his website and iTunes.
CAA Adds Michael Bryan In Artist Development, Brand Strategy Role
/by Jessica NicholsonMichael Bryan. Photo: Zach Massey
Creative Artists Agency (CAA) has added radio veteran Michael Bryan in a newly-created position within the music department to focus on artist development and artist brand strategy. Based in Nashville, Bryan will work in collaboration with client teams across the agency’s roster to help cultivate the careers of emerging artists, from curating an act’s brand and developing their social and media marketing platforms, to liaising with managers, labels and radio programmers in support of album launches. Bryan will also identify and create new touring models with radio-based properties, expanding on CAA’s success with creating/packaging branded lifestyle tours, including 2016’s Ticket To Rock and the Vans Warped Tour.
Bryan most recently served as Senior Vice President, Programming for iHeartMedia’s Nashville market, overseeing the on-air and online programming for the market’s six broadcast stations, branded digital sites, and helping to program live properties, including Guitar-B-Que for St. Jude, Battle for The Bones, and others. While at iHeartMedia, he helped break such artists as Ed Sheeran, Cam, Dan + Shay, Kelsea Ballerini, and Hozier through early radio exposure, and served as Executive Program Director for the top-rated nationally syndicated The Bobby Bones Show and The Tige & Daniel show.
Industry Ink: Florida Georgia Line, LeAnn Rimes, Josh Kear, Brad Paisley
/by Jessica NicholsonFlorida Georgia Line Reignite Dig Your Roots Tour
Pictured (L-R): Big Loud Mountain Partner and Record Producer Joey Moi, Live Nation’s Brian O’Connell, Big Loud Mountain Partner and Artist Manager Seth England, Chris Lane, FGL’s Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley, Dustin Lynch, Big Loud Mountain’s Partner and Artist Manager Kevin “Chief” Zaruk, and Partner and Songwriter Craig Wiseman
Florida Georgia Line reignited their Dig Your Roots Tour this past weekend, thrilling Tallahassee, Orlando and Miami, Florida, fans in a sold-out homecoming weekend for the duo’s Brian Kelley.
Drawing 40,000 plus people over three nights, Kelley and Georgia native Tyler Hubbard picked up right where they left off in 2016, which found them breaking attendance records and playing to over one million fans for the second year in a row.
The 2017 tour features Dustin Lynch and Chris Lane as supporting artists, as well as Seth Ennis, Ryan Follese and Morgan Wallen on select dates.
LeAnn Rimes To Be Honored By Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, announced that LeAnn Rimes will be honored with the Ally for Equality Award at the HRC Nashville Equality Dinner on Saturday, March 25, 2017.
“LeAnn Rimes is boldly using her influence in the music world to empower people to accept and be their true selves,” said Blake Brockway, co-chair of the HRC Nashville Equality Dinner. “An outspoken advocate for LGBTQ equality, she is also making a difference in the lives of countless young people across the country by standing up for LGBTQ youth and speaking out against bullying. We are thrilled to welcome LeAnn Rimes to the HRC Nashville Equality Dinner and honor her with the HRC Ally for Equality Award.”
The HRC Ally for Equality Award recognizes the outstanding efforts of those outside of the LGBTQ community who use their voice to publicly stand-up for equality for all Americans.
Rimes recently inked a worldwide deal with RCA UK, who will be releasing her 16th studio album, Remnants, on Feb. 3, 2017, along with her first U.S. single “Long Live Love.”
Josh Kear Performs During Troubadour Society Kickoff Event
Pictured (L-R): Troubadour Society Advisory Committee members Emilee Warner, Katie Cline, Songwriter Josh Kear, Troubadour Society Advisory Committee members Mandy Gallagher, and Leanne Weber
On Wednesday, Jan. 25, the Country Music Hall of Fame®and Museum hosted its annual Troubadour Society kickoff event for its members with a performance by award-winning songwriter Josh Kear in the museum’s rotunda.
Kear is a four-time Grammy nominated songwriter and recipient of the ACM Song of the Year for Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now.” Kear boasts a total of 11 No. 1 songs, with dozens of cuts by artists including Dierks Bentley, Labrinth, Charlie Puth, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban.
The Troubadour Society is the museum’s community of young leaders ages 21 to 40, who help to sustain the museum and its mission to preserve country music’s history for future generations. For more information about the Troubadour Society, visit countrymusichalloffame.org.
Top Songwriters Team For Brad Paisley Writers’ Round At CMHoF
Pictured (L-R): Chris DuBois, Ashley Gorley, Kelley Lovelace, Lee Thomas Miller
Paisley has remained loyal to this quartet of writers throughout his career. They, in turn, have helped him achieve a consistent sound and a distinct, authentic voice. As longtime friends and collaborators with Paisley, the writers will share personal stories and offer insights into some of Paisley’s biggest hits.
Writers’ Round: The Songs of Brad Paisley is included with museum admission and is free to museum members. Limited seating is available, and a program pass is required. The program will be streamed live at countrymusichalloffame.org/
The program is presented in support of the exhibit Brad Paisley: Diary of a Player, at the museum through May 14, 2017.
Good Company Entertainment Teams With Red Light Management
/by Jessica Nicholson“We are excited about the opportunity to work with Jake and his new team, and we’re looking forward to being a part of this next chapter,” says Red Light founder Coran Capshaw.
“With the great team of people surrounding me right now, I feel really positive about the future,” says Owen. “I’m honored that an incredible global businessman like Coran Capshaw wants to be in business with us. I am truly looking forward to 2017. Here’s to new beginnings!”
Good Company Entertainment partner Gale adds, “The ability to align Good Company Entertainment with Red Light Management is a major strategic alliance for us. Coran Capshaw and his entire Red Light team are a veritable knowledge, experience, and information factory. The systems and worldwide reach they offer will better position Jake and Good Company Entertainment for tremendous success.”
‘Forbes’ Names Nashville Artists Among World’s Highest-Paid Musicians
/by Lorie HollabaughForbes Magazine recently released its list of the World’s Highest-Paid Musicians, and country was well-represented among the impressive list. Garth Brooks ranked at the top of the country stack at No. 6 with a whopping $70 million for the year, thanks to a lucrative comeback tour, which kicked off in 2014 and extends into 2017 and has now grossed well into the nine-figure territory.
Kenny Chesney lands on the list at No. 13, tying Justin Bieber with $56 million for the year thanks to his ability to sell out stadiums across the country repeatedly and his new Blue Chair Bay Rum enterprise.
Luke Bryan comes in at No. 19 on the list at $53 million, raking in tons on his Kill The Lights Tour along with endorsement deals with Miller Lite and Cabela’s, among others.
Toby Keith also makes the list at No. 22 with $47.5 million from his tour, Ford Truck spokesman cash, and his Wild Shot Mezcal and I Love This Bar And Grill enterprises.
The Top 5 Highest-Paid Artists in ascending order include Rihanna ($75 million), Madonna ($76.5 million), Adele ($80.5 million), One Direction ($110 million), and the drumroll please…country’s own now pop-superstar Taylor Swift, who pulled down a cool $170 million, smashing the Rolling Stones’ previous touring record with a gross of over $200 million in North America alone, not counting her endorsement dollars. She was not only the highest-paid musician on the list, but ranks as the highest-paid celebrity of any type according to the magazine.
Forbes compiled the list by measuring pre-tax income from June 1, 2015-June 1, 2016 before management fees. Numbers are based on data from Pollstar, Nielsen, and the RIAA, and interviews with managers, agents, attorneys, and some stars themselves.
Warner Music Nashville Signs Cale Dodds
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (Back row, L-R): Megan Joyce, VP, Head of Business and Legal Affairs, WMN; Kelli Haywood, Starstruck Entertainment; Scott Safford, Safford Motley; Travis Carter, Warner Chappell; Narvel Blackstock, Starstruck Entertainment. (Front row, L-R): John Esposito, Chairman & CEO, WMN; Cale Dodds; Scott Hendricks, EVP A&R, WMN.
Warner Music Nashville has signed rising artist and songwriter Cale Dodds. Dodds, who signed to Warner/Chappell Music in August 2015, has already established his talent as a songwriter.
A Thousand Horses featured his co-written track “(This Ain’t No) Drunk Dial” as their second single. Dodds’ own, independently-released songs have also racked up success with streams on Spotify succeeding over 8 million streams.
Managed by Starstruck Entertainment and represented by CAA, the Columbus, Georgia, native is set to release new music later this year.