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CMA Foundation Grants $1 Million To Metro Nashville Public Schools

November 9, 2015/by Jessica Nicholson

Pictured (L-R): Nashville Mayor Megan Barry; Joe Galante, CMA Foundation Board Vice Chairman; Darius Rucker; Greg Burns, Nashville Public Education Foundation Board member; Anna Shepherd, MNPS Board Vice Chair; Chris Henson, MNPS Interim Director of Schools; Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer; John Esposito, CMA Board President and Warner Music Nashville CEO and President; John Huie, CMA Board member and Agent at CAA. Photo: Donn Jones/CMA

The CMA Foundation has continued its steadfast dedication to keeping music in public schools, with a recent $1 million grant to aid teachers in Nashville’s music classrooms.

The grant will go toward several initiatives, including providing instruments and music education for more than 85,000 students in Davidson County. It will also support Music Teachers at the Core, which will recognize up to 50 exceptional Metro Nashville Public School teachers with a $2,000 cash award. Additionally, the grant will support side-by-side coaching and expanded professional development opportunities to strengthen music education teachers in Davidson County.

Darius Rucker was on hand alongside Nashville Mayor Megan Barry to announce the donation. Also in attendance were students from Nashville School of the Arts, Hume-Fogg Magnet High School, and the W.O. Smith Music School.

“Having access to an instrument in an environment that encourages creative expression is such a powerful thing,” said Rucker. “A defining moment in my life was when my mother gave me my first guitar – I can honestly say it completely changed my life. In that moment, a newfound passion and creativity were born where skills like writing and poetry took on a new role. So, to know that we, as artists with CMA, are helping kids get the option for that kind of discovery is really incredible.”

Darius Rucker announces a $1 million grant to Metro Nashville Public Schools on behalf of the CMA Foundation at the National League of Cities annual conference Friday in Nashville. Photo: Donn Jones/CMA

“When this program began, it was important to fund the purchase of instruments, which hadn’t been purchased in decades,” said Joe Galante, Vice Chairman of the CMA Foundation and a member of the CMA Board of Directors. “Now that we have instruments in every Metro school, the CMA Foundation has expanded its support to include teacher education, which is critical in developing and maintaining strong, sustainable music programs.”

“I am grateful for the CMA Foundation’s deep commitment to our city,” Barry said. “It is a shining example of what is possible through strong public–private partnerships, and it is showing the country the value and importance of music education. Nashville is proud to be Music City, and we are incredibly fortunate to have such a strong investment from the music industry.”

Funds for the 2015 grant were raised through the CMA Music Festival. For 2016, the CMA Foundation has earmarked $2.6 million to in- and after-school music education programs across the country, bringing the foundation’s total contributions, including the Metro grants, to $13.6 million. CMA and the CMA Foundation have invested $10 million in 10 years in a public–private partnership to strengthen and improve music education in Nashville schools.

CMA International Reception Honors Jeff Walker

November 6, 2015/by Jessica Nicholson

CMA Board member Milly Olykan and Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern gather with late Board member Jeff Walker's family after the CMA International Reception Wednesday in Nashville ahead of "The 49th Annual CMA Awards." (l-r) Olykan; Trahern; Christy Walker Watkins, Walker's daughter and Vice President of Publicity at AristoMedia Group; Walker's widow Terri; Walker's father, Bill; Walker's stepmother, Jeanine; and Walker's son-in-law Matt Watkins, Vice President of Marketing and Operations at AristoMedia Group. Photo Credit: John Russell / CMA

Pictured (L-R): Milly Olykan; Sarah Trahern; Christy Walker Watkins, Walker’s daughter and Vice President of Publicity at AristoMedia Group; Walker’s widow Terri; Walker’s father, Bill; Walker’s stepmother, Jeanine; and Walker’s son-in-law Matt Watkins, Vice President of Marketing and Operations at AristoMedia Group.
Photo Credit: John Russell / CMA

The Country Music Association hosted more than 90 international media and music executives at the CMA International Reception in Nashville Wednesday ahead of “The 49th Annual CMA Awards.”

The Awards ceremony was simultaneously broadcast around the globe on CMC Australia and City TV in Canada. BBC Radio 2 will broadcast a live two-hour program hosted by Bob Harris on Saturday, Nov. 7 in the U.K. with Awards highlights.

Notable reception attendees included Laura Allen, Head of Artist & Media Relations at Universal Music Ireland; Aidan Butler, Senior Music Producer at RTE Radio; Sandy Harsch, Presenter of RTE Radio’s “Country Time”; CMA Board member Milly Olykan, Festival and Events Director at The O2; and Iain Snodgrass, Vice President of International Marketing at Universal Music Group International.

It was also announced at the reception that the CMA Global Artist Award will now be named the Jeff Walker Global Artist Award to honor late CMA Board member Jeff Walker, who passed away in August.

Walker was passionate about the international scope of Country Music. During his 21-year tenure on the CMA Board he was instrumental in distribution of CMA’s international honors and the creation of the CMA World GlobaLive! international artist showcase that takes place each year during CMA Music Festival. Walker’s family were in attendance.

Jason Aldean Returns ‘Old Boots, New Dirt’ To Spotify

November 6, 2015/by Craig_Shelburne

Jason Aldean

Jason Aldean’s Old Boots, New Dirt is back on Spotify, nearly a year after it was pulled from the streaming service.

Although the project did appear on Spotify when it was released in October 2014, Aldean and Broken Bow Records decided to take it down after about a month, feeling that the streaming service did not provide enough compensation for publishers, songwriters and other members of the music industry. At the time, Aldean said he wanted to make sure that the creative community would be paid fairly for their work.

However, this week on his Facebook page, he posted the following message:

Everyone in the music business is trying to figure out how to make the streaming work financially, so that the creative community gets paid fairly. I’m happy to have been part of that dialog and will continue to be as it all unfolds.

I’ve heard from you, the fans, all summer on the road and online that you really miss being able to stream my music. I definitely want you to be able to find it easily, so we’ve decided to make it available again. – JA

Hits from the album include “Burnin’ It Down,” “Just Gettin’ Started,” “Tonight Looks Good on You” and “Gonna Know We Were Here.”

Nine Country Releases Impact Retail This Week

November 6, 2015/by Eric T. Parker

Following the surprise release of Eric Church‘s EMI Nashville album Mr. Misunderstood after his performance on the CMA Awards on Wednesday (Nov. 4), eight more country albums hit the market today (Nov. 6). These anticipated releases will help boost fourth quarter sales for various Nashville labels, alongside others expected over the next few weeks.

November 6th Album Releases

Tim McGraw/Damn Country Music/Big Machine
Old Dominion/Meat and Candy/RCA Nashville
Alan Jackson/Genuine: The Alan Jackson Story/Legacy Recordings-Arista Nashville
Hunter Hayes/The 21 Project [three-discs featuring same seven songs with the different variations]/Atlantic-Warner Music Nashville
Cole Swindell/Down Home Sessions [EP No. 2]/Warner Bros.-Warner Music Nashville
Maren Morris/Maren Morris [EP]/Columbia Nashville
Josh Abbott Band/Front Row Seat/Thirty Tigers
Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers/The Gospel According to Gatlin/Curb Records

– – –

Tim McGraw released his 14th studio album, Damn Country Music, on Big Machine Records. The project was produced by McGraw and Byron Gallimore. The first single, “Top of the World,” is at radio now. The deluxe version features three bonus tracks. The star is also acting in an upcoming film, The Shack, based on the best-selling book by the same name.

RCA Nashville’s Old Dominion releases their highly anticipated debut album Meat and Candy, produced by award-winning, Shane McAnally. The album that features the gold single, “Break Up With Him,” which is currently the No. 1 song on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.

The five members of Old Dominion have written hit songs for other artists such as Kenny Chesney, Dierks Bentley, Blake Shelton, Tyler Farr and The Band Perry, so it comes as no surprise that they wrote every song on Meat and Candy.

To kick off a weeklong celebration of the release of Meat and Candy, Old Dominion will take their tour tonight to Tuscaloosa, Ala. By the end of 2015 Old Dominion will have performed over 170 shows which includes 18 stadium dates opening up for Chesney, whom they will also join in 2016. Read more about the formation of the group in an exclusive MusicRow interview.

Genuine: The Alan Jackson Story, a definitive three-CD career-defining anthology of music including eight previously unreleased recordings was released through Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, and Arista Nashville.

Walmart will exclusively stock Genuine: The Alan Jackson Story. The project debuts a live version of The Eagles‘ hit “Seven Bridges Road,” recorded 18 years ago this week (Nov. 1, 1997 in Birmingham, Ala.), and a rare live rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner,” recorded in 2001.

A 58-page booklet filled with photos from Jackson’s personal collection provides glimpses of his early life in rural Georgia, revisits some of his most-memorable career highlights, and also features tributes from Kenny Chesney, Alison Krauss, Martina McBride, George Strait, Steven Tyler, Carrie Underwood, Lee Ann Womack, and the late George Jones.

Jackson recently celebrated his 25th anniversary as a recording artist with a special 25-date tour and was honored with Alan Jackson: 25 Years of Keepin’ It Country, a retrospective exhibit at Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. In July 2015, Jackson released his 15th studio album, Angels and Alcohol, through Alan’s Country Records/EMI Nashville.

Five-time Grammy nominee Hunter Hayes unveiled his latest collection, The 21 Project. The limited edition, three-disc set explores features only seven songs in acoustic, studio, and live variations of each track. Hayes co-produced the project with Dann Huff and co-wrote every song.

Earlier this week, Hayes performed to a packed plaza outside of Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, kicking off the CMA Awards festivities with his second annual street jam in partnership with the USO. He continues on his 21 Tour tomorrow (Nov. 7) with a stop at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois.

Cole Swindell released his second Down Home Sessions EP on Nov. 6. It follows the original Down Home Sessions EP as well as his self-titled, full-length debut album, both released in 2014 by Warner Bros. / Warner Music Nashville. Swindell received a gold plaque for his debut album this week.

Swindell will begin his five-week fall tour at the PlayStation Theatre in New York City on Wednesday (Nov. 11). His special guest on the tour is Adam Sanders, who co-wrote Swindell’s “Ain’t Worth the Whiskey.” Swindell’s latest hit single is “Let Me See Ya Girl.”

After inclusion in CMT’s 2015 Next Women of Country program, Columbia Nashville has released a 5-song EP of singer/songwriter Maren Morris. The digital EP follows a Spotify exclusive of the 5-song album, which generated in excess of six million worldwide streams in less than two months, with three songs hitting Spotify’s U.S. and Global Viral 50 lists.

Big Yellow Dog released the EP to Spotify in August before it became available at digital retailers. She has been featured on tour opening for Sam Hunt, Little Big Town, Chris Stapleton, and Loretta Lynn, and can be seen next opening for Charles Kelley’s The Driver tour, kicking off Nov. 28 in Cleveland, Ohio. In addition, she has placed cuts with Tim McGraw and Kelly Clarkson.

Josh Abbott Band released Front Row Seat via Thirty Tigers. The project tells the story of a romantic relationship from beginning to end, over the course of 15 songs arranged in five acts.

The first single “Amnesia” debuted on Sirius XM The Highway in August and was produced by Dwight A. Baker (The Wind & The Wave). The album features collaborations with Shane McAnally and Zac Brown Band collaborator Wyatt Durette. Josh Abbott Band also brought in rising stars Macy Maloy and Carly Pearce to lend their voices.

Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers celebrate 60 years of singing together with a new album, The Gospel According to Gatlin, on Curb Records. The 11-track project is the trio’s first new album in seven years and was produced by the Gatlins.

Guests include Charlie Daniels and Gaither Vocal Band. In addition, Larry Gatlin and Billy Dean co-wrote the album’s closing track, “An American With a Remington.”

Wynonna & The Big Noise Set February Release for New Album

November 6, 2015/by Craig_Shelburne

Wynonna & The Big Noise

Wynonna and her band, The Big Noise, will release their first album together on Feb. 12 on Curb Records. Wynonna & The Big Noise is the singer’s first studio album since a 2009 covers collection, Sing, and her first set of original material since 2003’s What the World Needs Now Is Love.

The project was recorded on the Nashville-area farm that Wynonna shares with husband Cactus Moser, who also serves as bandleader, drummer and producer.

“Like a garage band we all get in a room, basically knee to knee in a circle, and we jam until it feels amazing,” Wynonna said. “By the time we push record we are already jacked up because we have practiced and practiced until we know we are rocking. The end result is even better than when we started out because we’re free to just play and enjoy ourselves.”

She added, “I have stripped myself of all the expectations of worrying about fitting into any format and just picked songs I love. This album is my favorite thing I’ve done so far.”

Guests include Jason Isbell, Timothy B Schmit, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks.

Wynonna & The Big Noise Track Listing and Songwriter Credits

1. “Ain’t No Thing” featuring Susan Tedeschi (John Scott Sherrill, Chris Stapleton)
2. “Cool Ya” (Lisa Carver, Andrew Ripp)
3. “Things I Lean On” featuring Jason Isbell (Travis Meadows, Daniel Sanders)
4. “You Make My Heart Beat Too Fast” featuring Cactus Moser (Julie Miller)
5. “Staying In Love” (Rapheal Saadiq)
6. “Keeps Me Alive” featuring Derek Trucks (Sarah Siskind)
7. “Jesus And A Jukebox” (Travis Meadows, Jeremy Spillman, David Tolliver)
8. “I Can See Everything” featuring Timothy B Schmit (Timothy B. Schmit)
9. “Something You Can’t Live Without” (David Lee Murphy, Cactus Moser)
10. “You Are So Beautiful” (Ashley Warren, Cactus Moser)
11. “Every Ending (Is A New Beginning)” (Doug Johnson, Billy Montana, Wynonna, Cactus Moser)
12. “Choose To Believe” (Charlie White, Kevin Welch)

Rob Beckham Earns Sweet Victory For Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

November 6, 2015/by Craig_Shelburne

Rob Beckham, Winner of the Pie in Your Face Challenge 2015

Taking his share of the pie in a literal sense, WME Nashville co-head Rob Beckham and his team raised $13,235 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Tennessee Chapter.

For his efforts, Beckham’s face was smothered in a cream pie by client Chris Young, WME Nashville co-head Greg Oswald, and WME Co-CEO Patrick Whitesell at the WME Nashville office yesterday afternoon (Nov. 5).

Rob Beckham

More than $41,000 was raised by a group of Pie in Your Face Challengers, which also included the following participants: Scott Borchetta, BMLG; Curt Motley, Paradigm; Troy Tomlinson, Sony ATV; Ben Vaughn, Warner Chappell; Kos Weaver, BMG Music; Jason Owen, Sandbox; Fletcher Foster, Iconic Entertainment; Mary Ann McCready, FBMM; John Huie, CAA; Pete Fisher, Grand Ole Opry; and John Esposito, Warner Music Nashville.

Pictured (L-R): WME’s pie-thrower Greg Oswald, WME client & pie-thrower Chris Young, WME’s Rob Beckham, BMLG’s John Zarling (2016 Middle Tennessee Light The Night Walk Chair), LLS’s Jeff Parsley, Loeb & Loeb’s Tiffany Dunn (Middle Tennessee LLS Executive Committee) & WME pie-thrower Patrick Whitesell.

Industry Ink: ASCAP Honors CRS, Cole Swindell’s Heavy Metal, ACM Welcomes A Thousand Horses

November 6, 2015/by Jessica Nicholson

ASCAP Commemorates CRS 45th Anniversary

Pictured (L-R): Bill Mayne, Executive Director, CRS; Judy Harris, Judy Harris Music; Barry Coburn, ASCAP Board Member; Charlie Monk, Monk Family Music. Photo: Ed Rode for ASCAP

ASCAP celebrated the 45th anniversary of the Country Radio Seminar (CRS) at its 53rd Annual ASCAP Country Music Awards on Monday, Nov. 2. CRS Executive Director Bill Mayne and former ASCAP executives Judy Harris (owner, Judy Harris Music), and Charlie Monk (CRS Director Emeritus) accepted the honor from ASCAP Board Member Barry Coburn.

The Country Radio Seminar was founded in 1969 to connect country radio with the country music industry. Harris and Monk were ASCAP executives who saw value in promoting the growth of country radio. ASCAP hosted the first seven years of planning meetings and ASCAP’s annual songwriter showcases have been among its most popular features.

Cole Swindell Celebrates Gold and Platinum Status

Pictured (L-R): WMN: Justin Luffman, VP Brand Management; Scott Hendricks, EVP A&R; Katie Bright, Director, National Promotion; Peter Strickland, EVP & GM; Cole Swindell; John Esposito, President & CEO; Cris Lacy, VP A&R; Kristen Williams, VP Promotion; Kevin Herring, SVP Promotion; KP Entertainment: Kerri Edwards. Photo: Joseph Llanes

Cole Swindell was surprised on Wednesday (Nov. 4) with a gold and platinum plaque for his self-titled debut album, and its three chart-topping singles, “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight,” “Ain’t Worth The Whiskey,” and “Chillin’ It.”

“I was literally just talking about how cool it would be to have a plaque with the gold album and three platinum singles, but to be surprised with it this week was amazing,” Swindell said. “A lot of work went into this by a lot of people, so this is ‘our’ plaque.”

Swindell may soon add another No. 1 to that list. His fourth single from the the album, “Let Me See Ya Girl,” is at No. 2 on the country radio charts.

ACM Welcomes A Thousand Horses

A Thousand Horses with Academy CEO, Bob Romeo. Photo: Michel Bourquard/Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music

A Thousand Horses with Academy CEO, Bob Romeo. Photo: Michel Bourquard/Courtesy of ACM

The Academy of Country Music welcomed Republic Nashville recording artists A Thousand Horses to the office while the band was in Los Angeles. While at the Academy, they performed songs from their current album, Southernality, and signed up for professional ACM membership as part of the Academy’s complimentary one-year membership offered to support emerging artists.

Watch a video of the band’s performance below.

NMPA Adds VP & Senior Counsel, Litigation

November 6, 2015/by Jessica Nicholson

Erich Carey

The National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) has hired Erich Carey as VP & Senior Counsel, Litigation.

Prior to his work with NMPA, Carey worked for six years as an attorney at New York City law firm Pryor Cashman LLP, in its Litigation, Digital Media and Entertainment practice groups. His experience includes advocating for music publishers in litigation concerning the impact of the ASCAP and BMI consent decrees on digital music services, representing representing EMI Records in shutting down website Grooveshark and performing due diligence in connection with the sale of the EMI recorded music and music publishing catalogs to Universal Music Group and Sony/ATV Music Publishing.

Carey graduated from Amherst College and Fordham Law where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Fordham Intellectual Property, Media and Entertainment Law Journal, and received honors as the graduating student with the highest grades in intellectual property courses.

Additionally, Carey is an actively performing singer/songwriter, has recorded two albums of original material, has twice earned honorable mention in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and has performed for heads of state including former U.S. President William J. Clinton and members of Congress.

30A Songwriters Festival Announces January Lineup

November 6, 2015/by Eric T. Parker

Set for Jan. 15-17, 2016, the 7th annual 30A Songwriters Festival has announced its initial lineup for the event, to be held in venues along scenic Highway 30A in Florida’s South Walton County.

Headline performances will be made from Jackson Browne, Grace Potter, Shovels & Rope, and Wine Women & Song (feat. Matraca Berg, Suzy Bogguss, Gretchen Peters). Browne will perform Saturday afternoon, Jan. 16. Potter comes plays Sunday afternoon, Jan. 17.

Also confirmed are Kristian Bush (Sugarland), Shawn Mullins, Jeffrey Steele, Bobby Bare, Jr., Jim Lauderdale, Bonnie Bishop, Will Kimbrough, Hailey Whitters, Jessi Alexander, Corey Crowder, Kyle Jacobs, Chris DeStefano, Chuck Wicks, Deana Carter, Brian White, JT Harding, Brett James, Matt Jenkins, Jon Nite, and Josh Osborne.

Additional performers include Ani DiFranco, Emerson Hart (Tonic), Jay Farrar (Son Volt), Peter Holsapple (the dB’s), Drew Holcomb, Parker Millsap, Dan Bern, Steve Poltz, Hayes Carll, Charlie Mars, Grant-Lee Phillips, Bob Schneider, David Ryan Harris (John Mayer band), David Hodges (Evanescence), Chris Stills, Callaghan, Kris Delmhorst, Kristy Lee, BettySoo, Randall Bramblett, Griffin House, Jennifer Knapp, Toby Lightman, Liz Longley, Heather Maloney, Joe Crookston, Guthrie Brown, Peter Karp, Caroline Aiken, Jeff Black, Brigitte DeMeyer, Willis Alan Ramsey, Tommy Talton, Webb Wilder, Brett Young, Hayley Reardon, Jamie Lin Wilson, Elise Davis, Alan Rhody, Joel Rafael, Kelsey Waldon, Farewell Angelina, Sonya Kitchell, Jeff Cohen, Austin Plaine, Jeffrey Foucault, Eliot Bronson, Dylan Pratt, The Cactus Blossoms, Ken Johnson, Jonathan Tyler, Andrew Combs, Count This Penny, Davin McCoy, Carson McHone, Leah Edwards, Annalise Emerick, Liz Vice, Ashleigh Flynn, Friends of Lola, Dean Johanesen, Grayson Capps & Corky Hughes, Kevin Gordon, Hannah Thomas, Old Salt Union, Blue Mother Tupelo, Caroline Spence, Kyshona Armstrong, Donnie Sundal, Boukou Groove, Karyn Williams, Jonathan Mitchell, Jerry Salley, Pete Sallis, Eric Erdman, Rick Brantley, Crys Matthews, Geoff McBride, The Mulligan Brothers, David Olney, CJ Solar, The Owsley Brothers, Wildlife Specials and more.

“Hopes and dreams become reality at the 30A Songwriters Festival,” says Russell Carter, co-producer/Festival Chair. “Jackson will perform solo on guitar and piano. It is a singer songwriter performance in its most basic form and it is quite simply profound.”

“We will all look back on 2016 as the year that the 30A Songwriters Festival fully comes of age,” says Jennifer Steele, co-producer/ Executive Director of the CAA. “All of the South Walton community embraces and supports the event financially, as volunteers, as participating musicians, or as attendees. And as the thousands of fans who travel here in January attest, music lovers across the country are fully on board.”

This year, the 30A Songwriters Festival is teaming up with Folk Alley, a multi-media music service produced by NPR affiliate WKSU. As part of Southern Living‘s 50th Anniversary Celebration partnership, the magazine is sending a production team to additionally conduct interviews with musicians.

Weekend passes are available for $230 online, and locally in South Walton at Central Square Records in Seaside, and the Cultural Arts Alliance (CAA) office, for which the festival benefits. VIP treatment includes premium seating, complementary lunch, beer, wine and cocktails. Four-course dinners and wine pairings are available Saturday and Sunday, created by award-winning chefs from the Southeast with special musical performers to be announced.

Net proceeds from the 30A Songwriters Festival will benefit the CAA. Members receive a 10 percent discount and admission to an exclusive performance on Wednesday, Jan. 13, at Fish Out of Water.