On a sunny July afternoon, Laura Hutfless and Jeremy Holley of entertainment marketing agency FlyteVu sat down with MusicRow to share secrets that made their first year of business a success. The print feature can be read in the magazine’s latest Artist Roster issue.
The two executives spoke from their spacious new office space in Nashville’s Gulch neighborhood, which houses seven employees. The innovative business pairs artist/influencer talent with such brands as Cracker Barrel, Anheuser-Busch, Red Cross, Macy’s, Snap Fitness, Mary Kay and Tennessee Tourism.
“I want people to understand the depth and breadth of what we do at FlyteVU,” says Hutfless. “We work with so many brands and opportunities and not just limited to music.”
Read the full FlyteVu feature in MusicRow’s new 2016 Artist Roster print issue, which comes with yearly subscriptions. Read additional portions from the interview below.
– – –
MusicRow: How is your new entrepreneurial environment different than the corporate environment each of you left?
Laura: There’s no politics or agendas other than the client’s agenda. That frees us up to work with whatever artists, properties, or corporations we want.
My background was working at a talent agency where every artist was hungry for a deal to find other ways to market music or for revenue. Jeremy and I both found that we were better able to help emerging artists especially find those brand dollars and help them grow when we were on the brand side helping create the campaigns. Being in a position aligned with a brand offers more opportunity to build programs for brands that will help more artists.
How will your new office space better serve your company?
Laura: We ran out of space at CAA! CAA was great and supportive in they gave us space when we started finding our team. The space here is amazing and there’s room to grow each vertical. And in Nashville, as soon as a space is available, it’s taken. So we’re lucky.
Jeremy: Being in the Gulch is great too because management companies, Sony and William Morris are moving here. It’s a really cool, walking, happening place.
How have your campaigns with Cracker Barrel expanded their music offering?
Jeremy: Cracker Barrel has 635 restaurants. It’s an amazing brand that has been selling music in their stores since they launched. The categories of music they were selling were very siloed. We brought Pentatonix to the table. They were a great partner and hit so many categories with Cracker Barrel—authentic, family friendly, talented. We took a risk.
Laura: I am most proud of us for that campaign. It was the first campaign we had done for any client. For it to be such a departure for what Cracker Barrel had ever done, it made a huge impact. It was a really fun and exciting project for us. The band over delivered and the audience connected. People connect with good music whether it be country or pop. That campaign opened the door for other great musicians to have a home at Cracker Barrel, and Anthony Hamilton was next in line in addition to several more we are working with in the next year.
Jeremy: It was mutually beneficial for both parties because Pentatonix took the No. 1 spot at Billboard their street week over Demi Lovato thanks to Cracker Barrel. To think of a world where physical sales are declining, Cracker Barrel is doing pretty well in physical sales because their transient audience comes through.
What artist team member does FlyteVu most commonly deal with?
Laura: Managers ultimately make the decision. But it could be the label if we need rights to music, or the booking agent if we’re booking a date, or the publicist. We want everyone to be onboard and involved.
You use the term “repeatable platform” to describe a service of FlyteVu. What exactly does that mean?
Jeremy: For a campaign with the State of Tennessee we did three shows from iconic Tennessee venues streamed into Chicago on a two-sided billboard in the middle of Michigan Avenue. It had a camera pumped back to the audience on the street to interact. It’s completely cool and hugely successful. Could we repeat that? Yes. We may take that to London. But that was a one-time thing. The Red Cross came to us to increase fire safety with Millennials. We came up with a campaign that included about 30 artists and 200 influencers with partners like iHeartRadio and What’s Trending for an event in Los Angeles called Tube-A-Thon. It was one of the most successful things the Red Cross has ever done.
Laura: That [Red Cross] platform is not dependent on one artist or influencer. Anyone can participate because it is a scalable, repeatable program that you don’t have to recreate every year.
Is there a secret to maintaining all the relationships required for a business like FlyteVu?
Jeremy: Lots of lunches. Most of these people are our friends. We’ve done business with them for years. So it’s just about relationships.
Laura: A lot of coffees. We try to stay as connected as possible with our previous teams, and we’re working with them already. We’ve taken a lot of deals to CAA and William Morris, and all the agencies. Since we’re talking to them on a day-to-day basis about talent, opportunities and what the brands we’re working with have coming up, staying connected isn’t that hard. And making the rounds. We’re going to Los Angeles next week to meet with managers, artists and agents. When you’ve worked in the industry for 12 years, you have a decent Rolodex. As we’re doing more deals, they’re coming to us with opportunities too. It’s a two-way street.
Read the full FlyteVu print feature in MusicRow’s new 2016 Artist Roster issue, which comes with yearly subscriptions to the magazine.
Aaron Tippin Helps Announce Marine Week In Nashville
/by Craig_ShelburneAaron Tippin. Photo: Michael Bunch/Metro Nashville
Aaron Tippin performed at a press conference on Wednesday (Aug. 10) announcing Marine Week in Nashville, taking place Sept. 7-11, 2016.
Tippin joined several dozen Marines and Nashville Mayor Megan Barry at the press conference. He sang an acoustic version of “Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly.”
“I was so honored to be asked to sing at the announcement of Marine Week,” says Tippin. “We can’t do enough to show how much we appreciate these guys and gals who help defend our freedom.”
More than 700 Marines will descend upon Nashville at next month’s event. Throughout the week, the public will have the opportunity to climb aboard a variety of the Corps’ aircraft and ground equipment at static display venues throughout downtown, to include the MV-22 Osprey aircraft and the multifaceted Amphibious Assault Vehicle.
People of all ages are invited to attend Marine Corps martial arts and military working dog demonstrations, work out alongside Marines during physical fitness demonstrations, and take in the sights and sounds of the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon and Marine Band San Diego.
The event’s theme of Community, Country and Corps will offer more than 80 free, public events across the city. The opening ceremony at Public Square will take place Sept. 7 at 6 p.m., and will feature a musical performance Darryl Worley and a special presentation and remarks by Barry.
Previous Marine Weeks have taken place in Chicago, Boston, St. Louis, Cleveland, Seattle and Phoenix.
Pictured (L-R): Sgt. Michael Iams, 1st Lt Johnny Henderson, Col. Mike Manning, Col. Sean Salene, Thea Tippin, Mayor Megan Barry, Aaron Tippin, Brig Gen Robert Castellvi, 1st Lt. Aaron Reed, SSgt Bobby Yarbrough, GySgt Jimmy Bention. Photo Credit: Michael Bunch / Metro
Celebrate the Soul: Black Music Honors Will Be Held Aug. 18
/by Craig_ShelburneA live television taping titled Celebrate the Soul: Black Music Honors will take place Thursday (Aug. 18) at 7 p.m. at TPAC’s Andrew Jackson Hall.
The National Museum of African American Music and Central City Productions are partnering to honor the recipients. Tickets are $27.50 to $102.50.
The two-hour television special will honor legendary African American artists and organizations that have influenced and made significant contributions to American culture.
Honorees include Pastor Shirley Caesar, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Big Daddy Kane, Dionne Warwick, Clarence Avant and Stax Records. Malcolm-Jamal Warner will host the event.
“As an actor, there were things I wanted to express that I could not, maybe even as a director,” said Warner. “Music has allowed me to develop an avenue of expression that my soul needs, which is why being part of something like Black Music Honors is a phenomenal opportunity. I am excited to participate and serve in this esteemed role.”
The night will be filled with performances from Tina Campbell, Ann Nesby, Andra Day, Chubb Rock and Stokley Williams. The Bar-Kays, The Temptations Revue featuring Dennis Edwards, and The SOS Band will also perform. Monie Love will be among the presenters.
Weekly Chart Report (8/12/16)
/by Troy_StephensonClick here or above to access MusicRow‘s weekly CountryBreakout Report.
Dress Up For St. Jude Event Set For Oct. 6
/by Craig_ShelburneThe second annual Dress Up For St. Jude event has been set for Oct. 6. The special evening will showcase an array of new and gently-used fashion items for sale just in time for fall award shows, holidays and more.
The special sale is scheduled from 4-8 p.m. at the St. Jude Nashville office at 1102 17th Ave. S., Ste. 300, and all proceeds will be donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for their music therapy program.
The event was founded in 2015 by four music industry friends following an inspiring visit to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis.
Last year’s Dress Up For St. Jude offered dresses, handbags, jewelry and more at a fraction of their original prices. Event organizers are asking artists and music industry executives to clear out their closets, and donate the following items:
– New/gently used dresses of all shapes, sizes and styles from casual to formal;
– Celebrity dresses;
– New/gently used jewelry, accessories, shoes
– Clothing racks to display dresses
The St. Jude music therapy program helps patients attain emotional goals, such as learning to express themselves by writing and performing songs and discussing song lyrics. Creativity also helps patients cope with disease and its treatment. A clinical and evidence-based practice, music therapy can be used to achieve both musical and non-musical goals.
Charlie Daniels Records Cowboy Classics For Upcoming Album
/by Jessica NicholsonCharlie Daniels will pay homage to his favorite cowboy songs on his upcoming album, Night Hawk, which releases Aug. 26.
The project will offers a mix of classic and obscure songs, with some featuring only Daniels’ signature voice and an acoustic guitar, while others will get new instrumentation.
Night Hawk will be available for presale on Aug. 15. The first 100 copies sold will be autographed and hand-numbered by Daniels himself.
“Most of our concepts about cowboys, and all things western, are mostly derived from movies and TV. Well, the truth of the matter is, the real cowboys are not glow in the dark characters who go around fighting rustlers and cleaning out saloons with their fists. The actual working cowboy is a hard working, different breed who spend endless hours in the saddle and as Louis L’Amour said, they ‘ride for the brand.’ Night Hawk is a tribute to the working cowboy and his way of life,” said Daniels.
Daniels will become one of the newest inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame later this year, alongside Randy Travis and Fred Foster.
NIGHT HAWK Track Listing:
1. “Big Balls In Cowtown”
2. “Billy The Kid”
3. “Night Hawk”
4. “Stay All Night (Stay A Little Longer)”
5. “Goodnight Loving Trail”
6. “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky: A Cowboy Legend”
7. “Running With The Crowd”
8. “Old Chisholm Trail”
9. “Can’t Beat The Damned Ole Machine”
10. “Yippie Ki Yea”
Kelsea Ballerini Surprised At Opry With Gold Plaque For “Peter Pan”
/by Craig_ShelburneIconic Entertainment’s Fletcher Foster, Grand Ole Opry’s Dan Rogers, Kelsea Ballerini, Black River Entertainment’s Gordon Kerr and Rick Froio. Photo: Chris Hollo/Grand Ole Opry
Kelsea Ballerini received a gold plaque for “Peter Pan” following a performance at the Grand Ole Opry on Wednesday (Aug. 10). The certification recognizes over 500,000 sales and streaming units in the U.S.
The certification follows the gold “Dibs” and the platinum “Love Me Like You Mean It.” All three singles are from her debut album, The First Time.
Ballerini expressed her gratitude and thanked her fans in this video posted to Twitter.
Jack White Plans Acoustic Double Album With New White Stripes Song
/by Craig_ShelburneJack White has announced the release of Jack White Acoustic Recordings 1998-2016 on Third Man Records/Columbia. The 26-track double-LP and double-CD will be released physically and digitally worldwide on Sept. 9.
The set features alternate versions, mixes and previously unreleased recordings from The White Stripes, The Raconteurs and solo material all completely remastered.
The 26 tracks were remastered earlier this year by Andrew Mendelson at Georgetown Masters in Nashville. All songs were written and produced exclusively by White, except “Never Far Away” (produced by T Bone Burnett), “Honey, We Can’t Afford To Look This Cheap” (produced by Beck), “Top Yourself (Bluegrass Version)” and “Carolina Drama” (written & produced by White & Brendan Benson), and “Machine Gun Silhouette” (written by White & Rob Jones).
The song “City Lights” was written for The White Stripes’ Get Behind Me Satan but then forgotten until White revisited the 2005 album for Third Man’s Record Store Day 2015 vinyl reissue and finished the recording in 2016. The track is the first new, worldwide commercially released White Stripes song since 2008.
Artist Updates: The Band Perry, Jennifer Nettles, The Bass Brothers
/by Jessica NicholsonThe Band Perry Perform “Comeback Kid” At 2016 Summer Olympics
The Band Perry with U.S. Olympic swimmer Allison Schmitt. Photo: Owen Thomas
The Band Perry performed their new single, “Comeback Kid,” live from the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The event was part of the Citi Concert Series on Today. The band also met Olympic medal winners Allison Schmidt and Steele Johnson.
The Band Perry with U.S. Olympic diver Steele Johnson. Photo: Owen Thomas
Jennifer Nettles To Perform At NAB Marconi Radio Awards
Jennifer Nettles
Jennifer Nettles will perform at the NAB Marconi Radio Awards Dinner & Show, slated for Thursday, Sept. 22. The event will be held during the 2016 Radio Show, scheduled Sept. 21-23 at Nashville’s Omni Hotel.
Established in 1989 and named after inventor and Nobel Prize winner Guglielmo Marconi, the NAB Marconi Radio Awards recognize stations and individuals for excellence in the industry.
“Jennifer Nettles is a truly phenomenal country music performer, with awards and accolades recognizing both her voice and songwriting abilities,” said NAB Executive Vice President of Radio John David. “We thank Big Machine Label Group and Scott Borchetta for connecting us and look forward to what will surely be an unforgettable performance.”
The Bass Brothers Showcase New Songs At 12th & Porter
Pictured (L-R): Kate Richardson, Richlyn Marketing; Nathan Bass; Lynn Tinsey, Richlyn Marketing; Mark and Kieran Bass; Michelle Garramone and Cat Denton, Richlyn Marketing
British band The Bass Brothers performed an industry showcase at 12th & Porter on Tuesday night (Aug. 9), performing new music they’ve been recording with producer David Huff. The trio has spent the summer in Nashville with numerous gigs around town, in addition to an official spot during the CMA Music Festival. The band’s public relations team is Richlyn Marketing.
AmericanaFest Providing Unique Fan Packages With CID Entertainment
/by Craig_ShelburneThe Americana Music Association is offering enhanced festival packages through CID Entertainment, a company that provides ultimate fan experiences, for next month’s Americana Music Festival and Conference in Nashville.
The Gold Package ($1199) includes one premium reserved orchestra seat in the first 10 rows to The Lumineers at Ascend Amphitheater on either Tuesday, Sept. 20 or Thursday, Sept. 22 (you may pick which day you prefer,) one premium reserved floor seat in the first 10 rows of the floor for the Americana Honors & Awards show at the Ryman Auditorium, a conference registration badge offering priority access to every Americana event including all evening showcases, artist interviews, educational panels, parties, luncheons, and various events, plus first dibs to RSVP to seven premier festival events.
The Silver Package ($499) includes one premium reserved seat in the first 8 rows of the balcony for the Americana Honors & Awards show at the Ryman Auditorium on Sept. 21, one festival wristband that offers access to nightly showcases, a guided tour of the Ryman Auditorium (including a special sneak peek of rehearsals,) plus first dibs to RSVP to two premier festival events.
All package purchasers will receive an official AmericanaFest 2016 merchandise gift and a Hatch Show Print poster. The festival takes place Sept. 20-25.
In addition, hotel accommodations will be available through Curadora, a lodging site that filters results based on proximity to festivities, price, guest ratings, and amenities. It is customizable with additional features of interest.
Exclusive: FlyteVu Talks Secrets To Marketing Success
/by Eric T. ParkerThe two executives spoke from their spacious new office space in Nashville’s Gulch neighborhood, which houses seven employees. The innovative business pairs artist/influencer talent with such brands as Cracker Barrel, Anheuser-Busch, Red Cross, Macy’s, Snap Fitness, Mary Kay and Tennessee Tourism.
“I want people to understand the depth and breadth of what we do at FlyteVU,” says Hutfless. “We work with so many brands and opportunities and not just limited to music.”
Read the full FlyteVu feature in MusicRow’s new 2016 Artist Roster print issue, which comes with yearly subscriptions. Read additional portions from the interview below.
– – –
MusicRow: How is your new entrepreneurial environment different than the corporate environment each of you left?
Laura: There’s no politics or agendas other than the client’s agenda. That frees us up to work with whatever artists, properties, or corporations we want.
My background was working at a talent agency where every artist was hungry for a deal to find other ways to market music or for revenue. Jeremy and I both found that we were better able to help emerging artists especially find those brand dollars and help them grow when we were on the brand side helping create the campaigns. Being in a position aligned with a brand offers more opportunity to build programs for brands that will help more artists.
How will your new office space better serve your company?
Laura: We ran out of space at CAA! CAA was great and supportive in they gave us space when we started finding our team. The space here is amazing and there’s room to grow each vertical. And in Nashville, as soon as a space is available, it’s taken. So we’re lucky.
Jeremy: Being in the Gulch is great too because management companies, Sony and William Morris are moving here. It’s a really cool, walking, happening place.
How have your campaigns with Cracker Barrel expanded their music offering?
Jeremy: Cracker Barrel has 635 restaurants. It’s an amazing brand that has been selling music in their stores since they launched. The categories of music they were selling were very siloed. We brought Pentatonix to the table. They were a great partner and hit so many categories with Cracker Barrel—authentic, family friendly, talented. We took a risk.
Laura: I am most proud of us for that campaign. It was the first campaign we had done for any client. For it to be such a departure for what Cracker Barrel had ever done, it made a huge impact. It was a really fun and exciting project for us. The band over delivered and the audience connected. People connect with good music whether it be country or pop. That campaign opened the door for other great musicians to have a home at Cracker Barrel, and Anthony Hamilton was next in line in addition to several more we are working with in the next year.
Jeremy: It was mutually beneficial for both parties because Pentatonix took the No. 1 spot at Billboard their street week over Demi Lovato thanks to Cracker Barrel. To think of a world where physical sales are declining, Cracker Barrel is doing pretty well in physical sales because their transient audience comes through.
What artist team member does FlyteVu most commonly deal with?
Laura: Managers ultimately make the decision. But it could be the label if we need rights to music, or the booking agent if we’re booking a date, or the publicist. We want everyone to be onboard and involved.
You use the term “repeatable platform” to describe a service of FlyteVu. What exactly does that mean?
Jeremy: For a campaign with the State of Tennessee we did three shows from iconic Tennessee venues streamed into Chicago on a two-sided billboard in the middle of Michigan Avenue. It had a camera pumped back to the audience on the street to interact. It’s completely cool and hugely successful. Could we repeat that? Yes. We may take that to London. But that was a one-time thing. The Red Cross came to us to increase fire safety with Millennials. We came up with a campaign that included about 30 artists and 200 influencers with partners like iHeartRadio and What’s Trending for an event in Los Angeles called Tube-A-Thon. It was one of the most successful things the Red Cross has ever done.
Laura: That [Red Cross] platform is not dependent on one artist or influencer. Anyone can participate because it is a scalable, repeatable program that you don’t have to recreate every year.
Is there a secret to maintaining all the relationships required for a business like FlyteVu?
Jeremy: Lots of lunches. Most of these people are our friends. We’ve done business with them for years. So it’s just about relationships.
Laura: A lot of coffees. We try to stay as connected as possible with our previous teams, and we’re working with them already. We’ve taken a lot of deals to CAA and William Morris, and all the agencies. Since we’re talking to them on a day-to-day basis about talent, opportunities and what the brands we’re working with have coming up, staying connected isn’t that hard. And making the rounds. We’re going to Los Angeles next week to meet with managers, artists and agents. When you’ve worked in the industry for 12 years, you have a decent Rolodex. As we’re doing more deals, they’re coming to us with opportunities too. It’s a two-way street.
Read the full FlyteVu print feature in MusicRow’s new 2016 Artist Roster issue, which comes with yearly subscriptions to the magazine.