Cyndi Lauper kicked off her Detour Tour at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on Monday evening, May 9, launching her 27-city trek across the United States and Europe.
She began the show with “Funnel of Love,” the first track on her new album and took the audience on a musical journey through her latest project offerings intertwining both new and old material. While “detouring,” her performances of classic country standards from her latest project included “Walkin’ After Midnight,” “The End Of The World,” “Heartaches by the Number,” and “Misty Blue.”
Her performance of “Money Changes Everything” brought the crowd to their feet with the audience gladly singing along to her hit tunes that followed, including “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” and “Time After Time” before closing out the show with an encore of “True Colors.”
With this being the first stop of the tour, Lauper admitted she was still “working some of the kinks out” but the audience didn’t mind at all.
Fans have the opportunity to donate to the True Colors Fund and a chance to win exclusives, including a dinner with Cyndi Lauper backstage. Lauper is playing select dates during the DETOUR tour with Boy George, including the June 1 Vienna, Va. show, where the winning donation will have an opportunity to meet the artists backstage, have dinner with Lauper among other perks. The True Colors Fund, an organization co-founded by Lauper, works to end homelessness among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth. To donate and enter for chances to win exclusives, click here.
Afterwards, Lauper visited with music industry members at a private reception at the Ryman.
MusicRow Publisher Sherod Robertson visits with Lauper at a private industry reception following her Ryman show.
Lauper’s country album Detour, which released May 6, includes her renditions of several classic tunes from the 40s, 50s, and 60s. Detour features guest appearances from Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, Jewel and Willie Nelson. Lauper recorded the album in Nashville with many of the city’s top session players.
She visited MusicRow earlier this year to discuss her new album and tour.
CYNDI LAUPER DETOUR TOUR:
*denotes shows with Boy George
May 9 Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, Tenn.
May 11 Palace Theatre – Louisville, Ky.
May 13 Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall – Pittsburgh, Pa.
May 14 Michigan Theater – Ann Arbor, Mich.
May 16 Chicago Theater – Chicago, Ill.
May 17 Hard Rock Live – Cleveland, Ohio
May 20 Mohegan Sun – Uncasville, Conn.*
May 21 Wang Theater – Boston, Mass.*
May 25 Beacon Theater – New York, Ny.*
May 28 Sands Bethlehem Event Center – Bethlehem, Pa.*
May 29 Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa Atlantic City, N.J.*
June 1 Wolf Trap – Vienna, Va.*
June 2 Charleston Music Hall Charleston, S.C.
June 4 Duke Energy Center Raleigh, N.C.
June 5 Symphony Hall – Atlanta, Ga.
June 8 Ruth Eckerd Hall – Clearwater, Fla.
June 9 Dr. Phillips Center – Orlando, Fla.
June 11 Mizner Park Amphitheatre – Boca Raton, Fla.
June 12 St. Augustine Amphitheatre – St. Augustine, Fla.
Sept. 10 ACL Live at Moody Theater – Austin, Texas
Sept. 11 Revention Music Center – Houston, Texas
Sept. 13 Civic Center Music Hall – Oklahoma City, Okla.
Sept. 15 Uptown Theatre – Kansas City, Mo.
Sept. 18 Paramount Theatre – Denver, Colo.
Sept. 20 The Depot – Salt Lake City, Utah
Sept. 21 Outlaw Field at the Idaho Botanical – Boise, Idaho
Sept. 23 Thunder Valley Casino Resort – Lincoln, Calif.
Sept. 24 Agua Caliente Casino – Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Sept. 27 Vina Robles Amphitheatre – Paso Robles, Calif.
Sept. 28 Arlington Theatre – Santa Barbara, Calif.
Sept. 30 The Mountain Winery – Saratoga, Calif.
Oct. 3 Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay – San Diego, Calif.
Oct. 5 Greek Theatre – Los Angeles, Calif.
Oct. 7 Talking Stick Resort Ballroom – Scottsdale, Ariz.
Oct. 8 The Joint – Las Vegas, Nev.
Cyndi Lauper Kicks Off ‘Detour’ Tour In Nashville
/by Sherod RobertsonCyndi Lauper kicked off her Detour Tour at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on Monday evening, May 9, launching her 27-city trek across the United States and Europe.
She began the show with “Funnel of Love,” the first track on her new album and took the audience on a musical journey through her latest project offerings intertwining both new and old material. While “detouring,” her performances of classic country standards from her latest project included “Walkin’ After Midnight,” “The End Of The World,” “Heartaches by the Number,” and “Misty Blue.”
Her performance of “Money Changes Everything” brought the crowd to their feet with the audience gladly singing along to her hit tunes that followed, including “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” and “Time After Time” before closing out the show with an encore of “True Colors.”
With this being the first stop of the tour, Lauper admitted she was still “working some of the kinks out” but the audience didn’t mind at all.
Fans have the opportunity to donate to the True Colors Fund and a chance to win exclusives, including a dinner with Cyndi Lauper backstage. Lauper is playing select dates during the DETOUR tour with Boy George, including the June 1 Vienna, Va. show, where the winning donation will have an opportunity to meet the artists backstage, have dinner with Lauper among other perks. The True Colors Fund, an organization co-founded by Lauper, works to end homelessness among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth. To donate and enter for chances to win exclusives, click here.
Afterwards, Lauper visited with music industry members at a private reception at the Ryman.
MusicRow Publisher Sherod Robertson visits with Lauper at a private industry reception following her Ryman show.
Lauper’s country album Detour, which released May 6, includes her renditions of several classic tunes from the 40s, 50s, and 60s. Detour features guest appearances from Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, Jewel and Willie Nelson. Lauper recorded the album in Nashville with many of the city’s top session players.
She visited MusicRow earlier this year to discuss her new album and tour.
CYNDI LAUPER DETOUR TOUR:
*denotes shows with Boy George
May 9 Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, Tenn.
May 11 Palace Theatre – Louisville, Ky.
May 13 Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall – Pittsburgh, Pa.
May 14 Michigan Theater – Ann Arbor, Mich.
May 16 Chicago Theater – Chicago, Ill.
May 17 Hard Rock Live – Cleveland, Ohio
May 20 Mohegan Sun – Uncasville, Conn.*
May 21 Wang Theater – Boston, Mass.*
May 25 Beacon Theater – New York, Ny.*
May 28 Sands Bethlehem Event Center – Bethlehem, Pa.*
May 29 Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa Atlantic City, N.J.*
June 1 Wolf Trap – Vienna, Va.*
June 2 Charleston Music Hall Charleston, S.C.
June 4 Duke Energy Center Raleigh, N.C.
June 5 Symphony Hall – Atlanta, Ga.
June 8 Ruth Eckerd Hall – Clearwater, Fla.
June 9 Dr. Phillips Center – Orlando, Fla.
June 11 Mizner Park Amphitheatre – Boca Raton, Fla.
June 12 St. Augustine Amphitheatre – St. Augustine, Fla.
Sept. 10 ACL Live at Moody Theater – Austin, Texas
Sept. 11 Revention Music Center – Houston, Texas
Sept. 13 Civic Center Music Hall – Oklahoma City, Okla.
Sept. 15 Uptown Theatre – Kansas City, Mo.
Sept. 18 Paramount Theatre – Denver, Colo.
Sept. 20 The Depot – Salt Lake City, Utah
Sept. 21 Outlaw Field at the Idaho Botanical – Boise, Idaho
Sept. 23 Thunder Valley Casino Resort – Lincoln, Calif.
Sept. 24 Agua Caliente Casino – Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Sept. 27 Vina Robles Amphitheatre – Paso Robles, Calif.
Sept. 28 Arlington Theatre – Santa Barbara, Calif.
Sept. 30 The Mountain Winery – Saratoga, Calif.
Oct. 3 Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay – San Diego, Calif.
Oct. 5 Greek Theatre – Los Angeles, Calif.
Oct. 7 Talking Stick Resort Ballroom – Scottsdale, Ariz.
Oct. 8 The Joint – Las Vegas, Nev.
Taylor Swift Honored With Taylor Swift Award At BMI Pop Awards
/by Jessica NicholsonHonoree Taylor Swift accepts the BMI Taylor Swift Award onstage at The 64th Annual BMI Pop Awards. Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for BMI
Taylor Swift was honored with The Taylor Swift Award last night (May 10) during the 64th BMI Pop Awards in Beverly Hills, California. This marks the second time in BMI’s 76-year history that the company has bestowed an award in someone’s name, following a similar award for Michael Jackson in 1990.
Swift also took home the BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year honor again, for penning hits from her project 1989, including “Bad Blood,” “Blank Space,” “Style,” and “Wildest Dreams.”
Pictured (L-R): President/CEO of Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville Troy Tomlinson, honoree Taylor Swift, and Sony/ATV CEO Martin Bandier pose with award onstage at The 64th Annual BMI Pop Awards. Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for BMI
Jeff Bhasker was honored as part of the creative team behind “Uptown Funk,” which took home BMI Pop Song of the Year. Bhasker has also worked with Cam as producer and co-writer.
Sony/ATV was named BMI Pop Publisher of the Year, with 23 of the year’s most-performed songs. Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil were honored with the BMI Icon Award for crafting classics including “We Gotta Get Out Of This Place,” “On Broadway,” “Somewhere Out There,” and “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.”
Pictured (L-R): Songwriter Carole King and honoree Taylor Swift attend The 64th Annual BMI Pop Awards. Photo: Lester Cohen/Getty Images for BMI
Grand Ole Opry Announces Lineup For CMA Music Festival Week
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Chris Janson
The Grand Ole Opry will launch CMA Music Festival week with two star-studded shows, featuring Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Chris Janson, Charles Esten and more.
The shows will take place Tuesday, June 7 at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
The music begins in the afternoon with a free Opry Plaza Party presented by Humana featuring Warner Bros. Records/Warner Music Nashville recording artist Janson. Opening the party will be Stoney Creek Records recording artist Lindsay Ell. Both Janson and Ell are featured on the Opry’s new EP release, Opry 9.0, Vol. II, Discoveries From The Circle.
Artists already scheduled to visit the Opry later during Music Fest Week include Easton Corbin, Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers, Scotty McCreery, Oak Ridge Boys, Charley Pride, and Jamie Lynn Spears.
Kimberly Williams-Paisley is scheduled to sign copies of her new book, Where The Light Gets In, in The Opry Shop at 5:30 p.m. The actress will return to the Opry stage for her second visit as a guest announcer later in the evening.
Underwood is scheduled to play the Opry twice in advance of the June 7 shows, appearing on May 20 and 21.
Garth Brooks Plots First Country Concert At New Yankee Stadium
/by Craig_ShelburnePictured (L-R): Kelly Ford, America’s Morning Show; Garth Brooks; Blair Garner and Chuck Wicks, America’s Morning Show
Garth Brooks will play his first New York City concert in 19 years on July 9 at Yankee Stadium. He made the announcement on Wednesday morning (May 11) on the NASH radio program, America’s Morning Show.
Brooks’ show will be the first country music concert to be held in the new Yankee Stadium. Trisha Yearwood will open the show. Tickets go on sale on May 20.
According to its official website, Yankee Stadium has a seating capacity of 50,287. It opened in 2009.
This is Brooks’ first concert in the city since 1997, when he played for nearly a million people in Central Park. That concert was filmed for an HBO special.
There will be an eight-ticket limit per purchase for the Yankee Stadium concert. Tickets will cost $69.23 plus a $4.50 facility fee and a $6.25 service charge for a total of $79.98.
Tickets can only be purchased at ticketmaster.com or ticketmaster.com/garthbrooks or either Ticketmaster Express 1-866-448-7849 or 1-800-745-3000. There will be no ticket sales at the venue box office or Ticketmaster outlets on May 20.
Brooks’ next scheduled shows begin Thursday (May 12) in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for six shows across four days.
Pictured (L to R): John Shomby, Director of Programming, NASH Network; Leslie Slender, Vice President, Brand Partnerships & Events, Cumulus/Westwood One; Garth Brooks; Tommy Page, SVP, Brand Partnerships, Cumulus Media; Charlie Cook Vice President, Country, Cumulus Media, Operations Manager, Cumulus Nashville, Program Director, 95.5 NASH ICON WSM-FM and NASH FM 103-3 WKDF.
In Pictures: SESAC At Key West Songwriters Festival
/by Jessica NicholsonSESAC hosted a lineup of music at the 21st Annual Key West Songwriter’s Festival. The Brunch-In-The-Round was held at Kelly’s Caribbean Bar and was hosted by SESAC affiliates Rob Hatch and American Young and featured performances from songwriters Steve Bogard, Justin Ebach, Matt Willis, Nicolette Hayford, Justin Wilson and Brian White among others.
The annual Key West Songwriters Festival revolves around five days of performances from over 200 top songwriters and artists.
Pictured (L-R): John Marks, songwriter Lance Carpenter and SESAC’s Tim Fink. Photo: Sheel
Pictured (L-R): American Young’s Jon Stone, SESAC’s Shannan Hatch & Tim Fink, and songwriter Rob Hatch. Photo: Sheel
Pictured (L-R): Songwriter Stevie Monce, SESAC’s Shannan Hatch and Tyler Reeve. Photo courtesy of SESAC.
Songwriters Brian White and Jesse Lee perform at the Brunch-in-the-Round. Photo courtesy of SESAC.
Pictured (L-R): Royston Langdon, SESAC’s Ellen Truley, Robby Towns and Steve Bogard. Photo courtesy of SESAC.
Audience Network Launches TV Series For Emerging, Unsigned Artists
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (clockwise, from top left): Aubrie Sellers, Mitch Rossell, Ryan Beaver, Julia Cole
Nashville artists Aubrie Sellers, Julia Cole, Ryan Beaver and Mitch Rossell will be featured in a new monthly music show, Audience Music: Spotlight.
The series helps showcase emerging, unsigned music talent by giving them a first live performance on national television, as well as an in-depth interview. Sellers’ episode will launch the series on June 10, followed by Isac Elliot (June 17), Cole (June 24), Rossell (June 24) and Phebe Starr (July 29).
The show crosses a diverse array of musical genres. Other participating artists include Elliot, Starr, Oh Whitney, The Sisterhood, and Armstrong Leigh.
“With the new series, we are leveling the playing field for highly talented emerging artists by helping them cut through the noise,” said Bart Peters, Vice President of Development and Production, AT&T. “We are giving them the same performance opportunity for the television broadcast, online exposure and promotion. The inspiration for the spotlight series came from watching Isac Elliot perform at a showcase — and we are pleased that Isac is performing in our spotlight series.”
Audience Network reaches over 28 million subscribers airing via national broadcast on DIRECTV (Ch 239) and U-verse (Ch 1114), on directv.com and uverse.com, and on smartphones and tablets via the DIRECTV and U-verse apps.
In Pictures: Shenandoah, ‘Nashville’ Cast, Granger Smith, Olivia Lane, Michael Ray
/by Jessica NicholsonShenandoah Makes First Grand Ole Opry Appearance In Nearly 25 Years
Pictured (L-R): Shenandoah’s Shane Chilton, Jamie Michael, Stan Munsey, Donnie Allen, Marty Raybon, Grand Ole Opry’s Pete Fisher, Shenandoah’s Mike McGuire, SiriusXM’s J.R. Schumann, Johnstone Entertainment’s Cole Johnstone
For the first time in nearly 25 years, Shenandoah returned to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry this past weekend.
Fronted by Marty Raybon (who has rejoined the group after a 17 year absence), the country group performed on Friday and Saturday nights, offering several of their hit songs including “The Church on the Cumberland Road,” “Two Dozen Roses” and “I Wanna Be Loved Like That.”
Nashville Stars Wrap Third U.S. Tour
The stars of ABC’s Nashville perform in the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Pictured (L-R): Jonathan Jackson, Chris Carmack, Clare Bowen, Sam Palladio and Charles Esten.
Stars of ABC’s Nashville wrapped their third successful U.S. tour over the weekend in Uncasville, Connecticut. The tour featured cast members Clare Bowen, Chris Carmack and Charles Esten performing original music as well as songs from the series. Will Chase, Jonathan Jackson, and Aubrey Peeples joined the tour in select cities.
The tour is produced by Opry Entertainment.
Granger Smith At iHeartCountry Music Festival
Granger Smith with Meg Stevens
Granger Smith greets Meg Stevens (of WMZQ in Washington, D.C.) at the iHeartCountry Festival in Austin last weekend.
Olivia Lane Visits Radio Disney
Pictured (L-R): Radio Disney’s Manager of Standards & Practices, Elaine Kan; Radio Disney Country’s On-Air Talent Katie Boggs; Olivia Lane; Radio Disney’s Coordinator of Music Programming, Austin Bessey. Photo: Radio Disney
Big Spark Music Group’s Olivia Lane, currently featured on iTunes Country New Artist Spotlight, performed at The Hotel Café in Los Angeles on Tuesday, May 3. After her visit earlier in the day to Radio Disney, the staff came to her concert to listen to her play live.
Michael Ray Visits With Green Bay Radio Staffers
Atlantic Records/Warner Music Nashville artist Michael Ray visited with WNCY MD Charli McKenzie and PD Dan Stone.
Pictured (L-R): MD Charli McKenzie, Shari Roth (WEA’s Manager, Regional Promotion, North), Michael Ray, and PD Dan Stone
Reba, Brooks & Dunn Extend Las Vegas Residency Into 2017
/by Craig_ShelburneReba and Brooks & Dunn have added 12 shows to their residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
Six of the shows will take place in 2016: Nov. 30, and Dec. 2, 3, 7, 9 and 10. The remainder will be for shows in 2017: Feb. 22, 24, and 25; and March 1, 3, and 4.
Tickets for these shows will go on sale Friday (May 13).
Previously announced dates already on-sale are: May 10, 13, 14; and July 12, 15, 16, 19, 22, 23, 26, 29, and 30.
The collaboration is a culmination of the friendship and musical admiration Reba and Brooks & Dunn have shared since first touring together in 1993. Presented jointly by Caesars Entertainment and AEG Live, the two-hour production features more than 30 hits backed by a band of 10 players from both of their touring bands. The set includes solo and joint performances of their signature tracks including “Fancy,” “My Maria” and “Cowgirls Don’t Cry.”
Martin Guitar Will Screen Documentary At Summer NAMM
/by Craig_ShelburneMartin Guitar will be screening an award-winning documentary, The Ballad of the Dreadnought, every day at the Summer NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Trade Show.
The three-day industry event will take place June 23-25 at Nashville’s Music City Center.
The documentary is part of Martin Guitar’s celebration of the Martin Dreadnought’s 100th anniversary in 2016.
The film is narrated by actor and musician Jeff Daniels and features interviews with Chairman & CEO Chris Martin IV, Seth Avett, Rosanne Cash, Vince Gill, George Gruhn (of Gruhn Guitars), Jason Isbell, Del McCoury, Sturgill Simpson, and many more.
The Dreadnought has made its own impact in the history of American Music over the past century, and the new film highlights its historic roots and the array of music artists who have made the Martin Dreadnought a key part of their own legacies.
Members of the public can attend the screening by purchasing a Music Industry Day pass from NAMM and can only view it on Music Industry Day on Saturday, June 25. The film will be screened in Room 205.
ASCAP Panel Seeks Nashville’s Urban Writers, Artists, Producers
/by Craig_ShelburneAn ASCAP Song Panel for Nashville’s urban songwriters, artists and producers will be held May 20, from 1 to 4 p.m.
The panel is open to ASCAP members only. The location will be disclosed upon being selected for the event.
Featured panelists will include:
Gina Waters-Miller, VP National Promotions & Label Relations – eOne Music
Kamaal Malak, Producer/Songwriter/Musician – Freedom Riders and former member of Arrested Development
Mike Steel, Producer – Trackburnaz Productions: Migos, Shawty Redd, Travis Port
Playa G, Producer/Songwriter/Musician – Mansion Life Music: 2 Chainz, Lauryn Hil
The deadline to apply is Monday, May 16. Submissions may be sent to rmonroe@ascap.com.
Two mp3 songs may be emailed for consideration. Please indicate in your e-mail if you are submitting music as an ASCAP artist, songwriter and/or producer.
Also, please list your complete contact information (legal name, phone number and e-mail address) in your e-mail. Participants must be present at the song panel, with no representation allowed. Due to limited space, accepted participants are not allowed to bring guests.