Renn Announces Official Team, New Single
Pictured (L-R): Zach Opeim, Business Manager, Wiles + Taylor & Co.; Elise Anderson, Publicist, Nashville Music Media; Renn; Tim Gray, Manager and President, Grayscale Entertainment; Nina Carter, Associate Director of Writer-Publisher Relations, BMI; Austen Adams, Attorney, Dickinson Wright.
The recording artist Renn has announced the signing of his official team, led by manager and Grayscale Entertainment President Tim Gray.
In addition to Gray, Renn will be working with BMI Associate Director of Writer-Publisher Relations Nina Carter; business manager Zach Opeim of Wiles + Taylor & Co.; publicist and Nashville Music Media owner Elise Anderson; and attorney Austen Adams of Dickinson Wright.
“Having the right team of people working with you— especially in this industry — is vital,” said Renn. “I feel we’ve put an incredible team together and I’m excited to see what we can do as a whole.”
Renn will release his first radio single in October in the U.S. and U.K.
Ryan’s Guitars Project Set For Oct. 24
The 2nd Annual Peacock Invitational Golf Tournament in memory of Ryan Huie has been set for Monday, Oct. 24 at Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, Tennessee. The tournament is $1600 per foursome and includes lunch on the course. Check-in is 8:30 a.m. and teams will tee off at 10 a.m. For sponsorship opportunities or to register a team to play, contact Dan Harrell, dan.harrell49@gmail.com or 615-347-5565.
Funds benefit Ryan’s Guitars Project, which provides quality guitars and music instructors to poor and refugee children throughout the Middle East.
Named for Ryan Huie, the late beloved son of CAA co-head John Huie and his wife Dawn, Ryan’s Guitars Project provides guitars and music instruction to aid as many dispossessed children (either refugees or simply poor) as possible.
AURORA Live Begins With LANCo, Sarahbeth Taite
LANco and Sarahbeth Taite kicked off AURORA Live this month inside AURORA Nashville. The weekly live concert series is filmed in the downtown studio’s new state-of-the-art 4K live streaming studio. LANco performed on Sept. 21 and Sarahbeth Taite appeared on Sept. 28. Upcoming performances include Muddy Magnolias, Lauren Alaina, Loving Mary, Jerrod Niemann, and Kane Brown.
LANco’s Jared Hampton and Tripp Howell, AURORA Live producer Chris Keaton, LANco’s Brandon Lancaster, Eric Steedly and Chandler Baldwin.
Band member Luke DeJaynes, AURORA Live host Storme Warren, Sarahbeth Taite, AURORA Live Executive Producer Rebecca Abrahams, bandmembers Makenzie Schriner and Mark DeJaynes
SMACK Promotes Robert Carlton To Sr. VP, Project Development
/by Jessica NicholsonRobert Carlton
SMACK’s Robert Carlton has been promoted to the role of Sr. VP, Project Development. He will be responsible for the production management of Shane McAnally-produced acts including Old Dominion, Sam Hunt, Kacey Musgraves, Jake Owen, Kelsea Ballerini and the new music of Midland and Brandon Lay.
In addition, he will continue to manage hit-songwriters/SMACKSongs partners McAnally and Josh Osborne and will perform day-to-day artist management for SMACK artists Walker Hayes and JoSMITH.
Carlton has spent the past two years as a Sr. Creative Manager at affiliated publishing company SMACKSongs, representing hit songwriters/SMACK partners McAnally and Osborne. An MTSU graduate, he had earlier interned at SMACK and worked with Black River Publishing whose roster included Osborne and Ballerini.
“I’m blessed to work with so many individuals that I admire both professionally and personally,” says Carlton. “I’m extremely passionate about all of the music coming out of SMACK, so I’m honored that they’ve entrusted me with this new role. I’m excited for the challenges that lie ahead and for SMACK’s continued success.”
McAnally adds, “SMACK’s productivity and reach have grown immeasurably since Robert started at SMACK a little over two years ago. His eye for talent, his taste in music and his passion for songwriters and artists is second to none. This new level of responsibility and opportunity is a no brainer, given the generosity and work ethic he has shown since day one.”
Carlton will continue to report to Chief Operating Officer, Michael McAnally Baum, who says, “Robert is among the best and brightest in the music industry. He has made a huge contribution to SMACK’s current success and we are proud to promote him to a position of responsibility that reflects his talent and gives him the opportunity to excel.”
Country Radio Seminar 2017 Sets Toby Keith As Featured Speaker
/by Jessica NicholsonToby Keith. Photo: Richard McLaren
Toby Keith will appear as a featured speaker at Country Radio Seminar 2017. Sponsored by BMI, “Toby Keith: My Way” at CRS 2017 will take place Friday, Feb. 24 from 3 -4 p.m. CT.
The discussion will explore Keith’s career, what inspired him to take control of his recorded and live music, form his own label and build a business empire on his terms. Keith will also talk about his strong relationship with men and women of the military, and his dedication to charitable initiatives. Leading the discussion will be RJ Curtis and Beverlee Branigan.
The appearance marks Keith’s return to the seminar since being recognized with CRB’s Artist Humanitarian Award in 2007; the same year he was the headline artist on Country Radio Seminar’s Music City Jam.
Keith is regularly listed among country music’s top earners in Forbes‘ annual rankings. According to Forbes, Keith topped $47.5 million in 2015.
Country Radio Seminar will be held Wednesday, Feb. 22 through Friday, Feb. 24 at Omni Nashville. Register to attend CRS 2017 today by visiting countryradioseminar.com or by calling the CRS offices at 615-327-4487. Registration is still available at the “Early Bird” rate of $529.
Dierks Bentley To Headline Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena On 2017 World Tour
/by Eric T. ParkerEven before the final leg of his 2016 Somewhere On A Beach Tour ends, Dierks Bentley is planning 2017 with fans around the world.
Bentley released details today (Oct. 10) for his 2017 What The Hell World Tour, which is set to launch its first leg Jan. 19 in Dayton, Ohio and hit 23 cities, including a career-first headlining spot at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Jan. 21.
Special guests may vary but are set to include Cole Swindell and Jon Pardi. Watch a “censored” version of the 2017 tour announcement at People.com.
“Coming off the electricity and emotion of two nights at Red Rocks last week, it felt right to just go ahead and announce plans for next year and keep this thing rolling,” shared Bentley. “There’s a song on my album called ‘What The Hell Did I Say’ and it seemed like an appropriate title for a tour with Cole and Pardi. I have a feeling I’ll be asking myself that question the morning after many of our shows and late night hangs because you really don’t know what will happen when the three of us get together. There has been a lot of drunk calls and texts between all of us over the last year trying to make this tour happen, and I’m excited we were able to pull it off.”
Pre-sale tickets for select dates including Nashville go on sale Tuesday (Oct. 4), with the first public on-sales scheduled for this Friday, Oct. 7 at www.dierks.com and www.livenation.com.
First Leg Of Dierks Bentley’s 2017 What The Hell World Tour:
Jan. 19 — Dayton, Ohio
TBA — Louisville, KY*
Jan. 21 — Nashville, Tennessee
Jan. 25 — FirstOntario Centre Hamilton, Canada
Jan. 27 — General Motors Centre Oshawa, Canada
Jan. 28 — Richcraft Live at Canadian Tire Centre Ottawa, Canada
Jan. 29 — Budwesier Gardens London, Canada
Feb. 1 — MTS Centre Winnipeg, Canada
Feb. 2 — SaskTel Centre Saskatoon, Canada
Feb. 3 — Scotiabank Saddledome Calgary, Canada
Feb. 4 — EnCana Events Centre Dawson Creek
Feb. 6 — Rexall Place Edmonton, Canada
Feb. 7 — South Okanagan Events Centre Penticton
Feb. 9 — Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena Vancouver
TBA — Cedar Rapids, Iowa*
TBA — Sioux Falls, South Dakota*
TBA — Columbus, Georgia*
TBA — Tupelo, Mississippi*
TBA — Knoxville, Tennessee*
TBA — Billings, Montana*
TBA — Rapid City, South Dakota*
TBA — Fresno, California*
TBA — Reno, Nevada*
*date announcements will be rolled out and updated at dierks.com
Weekly Register: Luke Bryan’s ‘Farm Tour’ Tops Country Album Chart
/by Jessica NicholsonLuke Bryan‘s Farm Tour…Here’s To The Farmer tops the country albums chart this week (and lands at No. 4 on the overall albums rankings) for its debut, with 32K sold. Jason Aldean‘s latest, They Don’t Know, follows at No. 2 with 21K, 185K RTD. Florida Georgia Line‘s Dig Your Roots lands at No. 3 this week, with 21K, surpassing the 200K mark since its Aug. 26 release.
Last week’s No. 1, Aaron Lewis‘ Sinner, drops to No. 4 this week, with 9.5K, nearing it to a total of 50K. Chris Stapleton‘s Traveller rounds out the Top 5 this week, with 9.4K, and a total approaching 1.6M.
Top country debuts this week also include Dwight Yoakam‘s Swimming Pools, Movie Stars, landing just outside the top 5, ranking at No. 6 with 8.8K. Bradley Walker lands at No. 9 with Call Me Old-Fashioned moving 4.5K. Reckless Kelly‘s Sunset Hotel is at No. 12, with 3.8K sold. William Clark Green lands at No. 31 with Live At Gruene Hall selling 1.1K.
Overall album sales are down 14.6 percent year to date, while overall digital album sales have declined 19.5 percent. Country album sales have dropped 8.2 percent year to date, while country digital album sales have declined 13 percent.
The Country Music Association’s event song, “Forever Country,” remains atop the country tracks rankings in its second week of release, selling 61K (155K RTD).
Keith Urban’s “Blue Ain’t Your Color” lands at No. 2 this week, with 31K. Kenny Chesney (featuring Pink)’s “Setting The World On Fire” lands at No. 3 with 26K. Florida Georgia Line holds the final two slots in this week’s Top 5, with “May We All” (featuring Tim McGraw) selling 21K and landing at No. 4, and “H.O.L.Y.” landing at No. 5, selling 19K.
The top debut single is Hunter Hayes’ “Yesterdays Song,” landing at No. 29 on the country tracks rankings with 5.8K.
Overall digital track sales are down 24.7 percent YTD, while country track sales are down 22.8 percent.
Songwriter Hugh Prestwood To Release First Full-Length Album
/by Jessica NicholsonHugh Prestwood, known for penning songs recorded by Judy Collins (“Hard Times For Lovers”) and Trisha Yearwood (“The Song Remembers When”), is set to release his first full-length album, I Used To Be The Real Me (Wildflower/Cleopatra Records), on Nov. 18. Prestwood’s songs have also been recorded by Randy Travis (“Hard Rock Bottom Of Your Heart”), Crystal Gayle (“The Sound Of Your Goodbye”), in addition to Shenandoah and Alison Krauss (“Ghost In This House”).
I Used To Be The Real Me is being released on Collins’ Wildflower Records. Prestwood was discovered by Collins in 1978 when she recorded his “Hard Times For Lovers.” Collins join Prestwood on the new project for “Untie These Lines” and “Charlie.”
“I received Hugh’s CD, listened to it and practically fell over,” Collins said. “It blew me away. All of Hugh’s songs are unusual and tinged with magic, and it was a pleasure singing them with my old friend.”
“Working with Judy on this record is closing a very big circle,” Prestwood said. “I Used To Be The Real Me is my songs recorded from my demos, whittled down from 30 songs I had in my catalog. I’m so pleased to share it.”
Prestwood continues to teach songwriting workshops for the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) in various locations throughout the country.
I Used To Be The Real Me Track Listing:
Tim McGraw, Faith Hill Confirm Ryman Auditorium Concert
/by Jessica NicholsonFaith Hill, Tim McGraw.
[Updated]: Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s Nashville concert, slated for Tuesday (Oct. 4) has sold out, according to the Ryman Auditorium.
[Original post]: Tim McGraw and Faith Hill have confirmed a surprise concert in Nashville, set for tomorrow (Oct. 4), at the Ryman Auditorium. Tickets go on sale today (Oct. 3) at 10 a.m. CT and are $20 each. There is a four ticket limit per purchase.
The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Rumors began swirling last week that the superstar couple might be performing a surprise concert after the Ryman Auditorium’s website listed a concert date from Sam & Audrey for Oct. 4. Diehard fans of McGraw and Hill recognized the listing as including the names for Samuel Timothy McGraw and Audrey Faith Perry.
Monday morning, McGraw called in to The Bobby Bones Show to confirm the concert.
Also this week, McGraw and Hill will be inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame on Wednesday, Oct. 5. The couple will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary on Thursday, Oct. 6.
The couple is known for their hit duets over the years, including “It’s Your Love,” “I Need You,” and more. In 2012, the couple began a 20-show residency at the Venetian Las Vegas. The show ran through 2014.
In Fall 2017, Hill, alongside former “Oprah” co-executive producer and OWN executive Lisa Erspamer, will co-produce an innovative new daytime lifestyle show based in Nashville. Meanwhile, McGraw and Hill are rumored to be recording a duets album.
Artist Updates: Tucker Beathard, Trent Harmon, Tegan Marie, Shane Owens
/by Jessica NicholsonTucker Beathard Offers EP Preview Performance in Nashville
Pictured (L-R): BMLG COO Andrew Kautz, Dot Records’ Chris Stacey, BMLG President/CEO Scott Borchetta, Tucker Beathard, Dot Records’ Kris Lamb and Big Machine Music’s Mike Molinar. Photo: Steve Lowry
BMLG artist Tucker Beathard offered a preview of his EP, Fight Like Hell, on Thursday night (Sept. 29) during an intimate songwriters showcase at Nashville restaurant Martin’s Bar B Que. Tucker played select cuts from the upcoming EP (releases Oct. 7), including “Fight Like Hell,” “Momma and Jesus,” and “Rock On.” Beathard was joined by his father and co-writer Casey Beathard, as well as co-writer Jonathan Singleton and producer Angelo Petraglia.
Pictured (L-R): Angelo Petraglia, Tucker Beathard, Casey Beathard and Jonathan Singleton
Photo: Steve Lowry
Trent Harmon Will Perform For NASH Next Challenge
Trent Harmon
Cumulus Media has confirmed American Idol winner Trent Harmon to perform at the NASH Next Challenge 2016 Finals Event at Mercy Lounge in Nashville on Oct. 25. The NASH Next 2016 winner will be selected from 10 national finalists competing at the event. Country Inns & Suites By Carlson has signed on as the national presenting sponsor of NASH Next Challenge 2016.
Tegan Marie Performs During Ad Week 2016 In NYC
Pictured: Joey Gandolfo and Tegan Marie perform on stage at The Girls’ Lounge dinner. Photo: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for The Girls’ Lounge
12-year-old performer Tegan Marie performed at The Girls’ Lounge Dinner during Ad Week 2016 in New York City on Tuesday (Sept. 27). The exclusive event, attended by over 1,000 top female executives, gives visibility to females in the work force. It also featured guest speakers Kim Kardashian, Kristin Chenoweth and Andy Cohen.
Tegan Marie performed her current single “Lucky Me” along with her rendition of Florida Georgia Line’s “H.O.L.Y.” Her video version of the song has garnered over 17 million views on Facebook. Girls media company Sweety High manage Tegan Marie.
Amerimonte’s Shane Owens To Release Where I’m Comin’ From Dec. 9
“Country music fans have been yearning for an artist like Shane Owens,” said Steve Popovich Jr., President Amerimonte Records. “There’s a perception out there that traditional country music is dead and I can assure you that’s not the case. This album is going to surprise a lot of people, and I mean that in a good way. Shane Owens is delivering a style of traditional country music that country music enthusiasts both here and abroad have been craving for a long time. I think fans of the genre will be pleased to know that style of Country music is alive and well.”
Owens’ current single is “Country Never Goes Out Of Style.”
Industry Ink: Renn, Ryan’s Guitars Project, AURORA Live
/by Craig_ShelburneRenn Announces Official Team, New Single
Pictured (L-R): Zach Opeim, Business Manager, Wiles + Taylor & Co.; Elise Anderson, Publicist, Nashville Music Media; Renn; Tim Gray, Manager and President, Grayscale Entertainment; Nina Carter, Associate Director of Writer-Publisher Relations, BMI; Austen Adams, Attorney, Dickinson Wright.
The recording artist Renn has announced the signing of his official team, led by manager and Grayscale Entertainment President Tim Gray.
In addition to Gray, Renn will be working with BMI Associate Director of Writer-Publisher Relations Nina Carter; business manager Zach Opeim of Wiles + Taylor & Co.; publicist and Nashville Music Media owner Elise Anderson; and attorney Austen Adams of Dickinson Wright.
“Having the right team of people working with you— especially in this industry — is vital,” said Renn. “I feel we’ve put an incredible team together and I’m excited to see what we can do as a whole.”
Renn will release his first radio single in October in the U.S. and U.K.
Ryan’s Guitars Project Set For Oct. 24
Funds benefit Ryan’s Guitars Project, which provides quality guitars and music instructors to poor and refugee children throughout the Middle East.
Named for Ryan Huie, the late beloved son of CAA co-head John Huie and his wife Dawn, Ryan’s Guitars Project provides guitars and music instruction to aid as many dispossessed children (either refugees or simply poor) as possible.
AURORA Live Begins With LANCo, Sarahbeth Taite
LANco and Sarahbeth Taite kicked off AURORA Live this month inside AURORA Nashville. The weekly live concert series is filmed in the downtown studio’s new state-of-the-art 4K live streaming studio. LANco performed on Sept. 21 and Sarahbeth Taite appeared on Sept. 28. Upcoming performances include Muddy Magnolias, Lauren Alaina, Loving Mary, Jerrod Niemann, and Kane Brown.
LANco’s Jared Hampton and Tripp Howell, AURORA Live producer Chris Keaton, LANco’s Brandon Lancaster, Eric Steedly and Chandler Baldwin.
Band member Luke DeJaynes, AURORA Live host Storme Warren, Sarahbeth Taite, AURORA Live Executive Producer Rebecca Abrahams, bandmembers Makenzie Schriner and Mark DeJaynes
Josh London Signs Songwriting Contract With Major Bob Music
/by Craig_ShelburnePictured (Front Row, L-R): Wendi Crosby York, VP of Publishing Admin.; Josh London; Tina Crawford, VP. (Back Row, L-R): Frank Reynolds, Copyright Admin. Asst.; Chandler Thurston, A&R Coord.; Bob Doyle, CEO/President.
Major Bob Music has added singer/songwriter Josh London to an exclusive worldwide songwriting deal. London is a Kentucky native living in Nashville.
“Josh is an amazing singer/songwriter and we are thrilled to welcome Josh to the Major Bob family. We are excited to be working with him and continuing to build his brand,” said Tina Crawford, VP at Major Bob Music.
Warner Music Nashville, 300 Entertainment Jointly Sign Bailey Bryan
/by Jessica NicholsonBailey Bryan
Warner Music Nashville and New York-based 300 Entertainment have jointly signed artist Bailey Bryan. The deal marks 300 Entertainment’s first country release with the the new single, “Own It.”
At age seven, Bryan met publisher and mentor Becki Devries of Kompass Music Publishing Nashville. Bryan would later sign a publishing deal with Kompass Music Publishing, and begin making monthly trips to Nashville to focus on songwriting.
Devries recalls, “I knew Bailey had talent even then, but when I came back to the island to visit family in the summer of 2013, I held a songwriting seminar that Bailey attended. It was then that I realized she had the whole package. Without any training at all, she was already an impressive songwriter at a really young age.”
“I always jumped at the chance to sing and play my guitar in front of people, but when I started writing songs when I was 12, music became an even bigger part of my life,” Bryan reflects. “Being able to share my heart and experiences with other people through my music became my purpose and my passion.”