Don Henley
BOBBY KARL WORKS THE ROOM
Chapter 512
We’ll throw a party for just about anything here in the Nashville music biz, so how about one for the Album of the Year?
Don Henley was in town to play the Ryman on Sunday (Oct. 18), so CAA opened its doors for a pre-concert soiree.
Henley’s just-released Cass County CD is a masterpiece. Mostly recorded in Music City, it features a cast that includes singers Martina McBride, Merle Haggard, Trisha Yearwood, Dolly Parton, Miranda Lambert, Alison Krauss, Jamey Johnson, Vince Gill, Ashley Monroe, Lee Ann Womack, Lucinda Williams, Molly Felder, Martie Maguire and Emily Robison.
Playing on this extraordinary collection are such familiar Music City names as Steuart Smith, Jim Hoke, Greg Morrow, Jerry Douglas, Glenn Worf, Bryan Sutton, Stuart Duncan, Pat Buchanan, Rob Ickes, Mike Rojas, J.T. Corenflos, Jimmie Lee Sloas, Shannon Forrest, Gordon Kennedy, John Deaderick and Jerry McPherson. In other words, cooking with the same ingredients that every Nashville producer and act has access to, Henley has eaten everyone else’s lunch.
“I’ve got a new album out there,” said Henley. “Made most of that album here in Nashville. And darned if it didn’t come on the charts at No. 1. Miracles still happen.”
Overlooking the Ryman and Lower Broadway from the 11th floor of the SunTrust building, the CAA office was a glamorous spot to celebrate from. After collecting our adult beverages in the office reception area, we went into the spacious boardroom for snacks and chats.
Cornbread salad, jalapena poppers, mac & cheese bites, barbecue sliders and rocky-road brownies were served. All of our favorites were there schmoozing – R.J. Curtis, Pete Fisher, Regina Stuve, George Flanigan, Beverly Keel, Troy Tomlinson, Fletcher Foster, Laura Crawford, Hunter Davis, Hunter Kelly (celebrating a new job), Brian Mansfield (also celebrating a new job), Phyllis Stark, Ken Tucker, Chandra LaPlume, Steve Betts, Dan Hill, John Grady, Jerry Duncan, Leslie Fram, Deborah Evans Price, Sarah Trahern, Susan Stewart, Bri Stewart and hosts-with-the-mosts John Huie and Rod Essig.
Jeff Balding talked about engineering Henley’s album over its gestation period of more than four years. The superstar began working on this collection 10 years ago, I am told. It is his first solo album in 15 years.
The pre-show party people were joined in the Ryman throng by Chuck Dauphin, Lisa Harless, Leslie Roberts, Ken Levitan, Whitney Daane, Katharine Richardson, Nathan Pyle, SunTrust’s Rob McNeilly, the Nashville Public Library’s Kent Oliver and 3,000 other music lovers.
“It’s good to be here on this historic stage,” said Henley. “It’s Sunday night – we ought to be in church,” or at least a former gospel tabernacle.
Don Henley
His dramatic opening song featured him standing shoulder-to-shoulder with his 10 band members. They sang a richly harmonized arrangement of Steve Young’s “Seven Bridges Road” with just percussion and guitar accompaniment.
Henley mixed selections from Cass County with such awesome past hits as “The Heart of the Matter,” “The End of the Innocence,” “New York Minute,” “Dirty Laundry” and “The Last Worthless Evening.”
He apologized for being hoarse, but needn’t have. As the evening progressed, his always-distinctive voice became stronger and stronger. Particularly impressive were the new album’s “That Old Flame,” “Take a Picture of This,” “Words Can Break Your Heart” and “When I Stop Dreaming.” “No Thank You” and “The Cost of Living” were also standouts.
When the concert song he performed was one of the CD’s celebrity duets, assorted band members ably substituted for the absent country star.
Shawn Colvin opened. Her latest CD is a collection of cover tunes, titled Uncovered. So her set included tunes by Graham Nash, Tom Waits and the late Red Lane (the Tammy Wynette classic “Til I Get It Right”), as well as her own songs (“Sunny Came Home,” etc.).
Extra security guards were posted to rigidly enforce Henley’s no-cell-phones ban during the concert. The star said he wanted us to be, “in the moment” with him. You could tell that several of the more smart-phone addicted were going through withdrawal.
Bobby Karl Works Don Henley’s Ryman Soiree
/by Bobby KarlDon Henley
BOBBY KARL WORKS THE ROOM
Chapter 512
We’ll throw a party for just about anything here in the Nashville music biz, so how about one for the Album of the Year?
Don Henley was in town to play the Ryman on Sunday (Oct. 18), so CAA opened its doors for a pre-concert soiree.
Henley’s just-released Cass County CD is a masterpiece. Mostly recorded in Music City, it features a cast that includes singers Martina McBride, Merle Haggard, Trisha Yearwood, Dolly Parton, Miranda Lambert, Alison Krauss, Jamey Johnson, Vince Gill, Ashley Monroe, Lee Ann Womack, Lucinda Williams, Molly Felder, Martie Maguire and Emily Robison.
Playing on this extraordinary collection are such familiar Music City names as Steuart Smith, Jim Hoke, Greg Morrow, Jerry Douglas, Glenn Worf, Bryan Sutton, Stuart Duncan, Pat Buchanan, Rob Ickes, Mike Rojas, J.T. Corenflos, Jimmie Lee Sloas, Shannon Forrest, Gordon Kennedy, John Deaderick and Jerry McPherson. In other words, cooking with the same ingredients that every Nashville producer and act has access to, Henley has eaten everyone else’s lunch.
“I’ve got a new album out there,” said Henley. “Made most of that album here in Nashville. And darned if it didn’t come on the charts at No. 1. Miracles still happen.”
Overlooking the Ryman and Lower Broadway from the 11th floor of the SunTrust building, the CAA office was a glamorous spot to celebrate from. After collecting our adult beverages in the office reception area, we went into the spacious boardroom for snacks and chats.
Cornbread salad, jalapena poppers, mac & cheese bites, barbecue sliders and rocky-road brownies were served. All of our favorites were there schmoozing – R.J. Curtis, Pete Fisher, Regina Stuve, George Flanigan, Beverly Keel, Troy Tomlinson, Fletcher Foster, Laura Crawford, Hunter Davis, Hunter Kelly (celebrating a new job), Brian Mansfield (also celebrating a new job), Phyllis Stark, Ken Tucker, Chandra LaPlume, Steve Betts, Dan Hill, John Grady, Jerry Duncan, Leslie Fram, Deborah Evans Price, Sarah Trahern, Susan Stewart, Bri Stewart and hosts-with-the-mosts John Huie and Rod Essig.
Jeff Balding talked about engineering Henley’s album over its gestation period of more than four years. The superstar began working on this collection 10 years ago, I am told. It is his first solo album in 15 years.
The pre-show party people were joined in the Ryman throng by Chuck Dauphin, Lisa Harless, Leslie Roberts, Ken Levitan, Whitney Daane, Katharine Richardson, Nathan Pyle, SunTrust’s Rob McNeilly, the Nashville Public Library’s Kent Oliver and 3,000 other music lovers.
“It’s good to be here on this historic stage,” said Henley. “It’s Sunday night – we ought to be in church,” or at least a former gospel tabernacle.
Don Henley
His dramatic opening song featured him standing shoulder-to-shoulder with his 10 band members. They sang a richly harmonized arrangement of Steve Young’s “Seven Bridges Road” with just percussion and guitar accompaniment.
Henley mixed selections from Cass County with such awesome past hits as “The Heart of the Matter,” “The End of the Innocence,” “New York Minute,” “Dirty Laundry” and “The Last Worthless Evening.”
He apologized for being hoarse, but needn’t have. As the evening progressed, his always-distinctive voice became stronger and stronger. Particularly impressive were the new album’s “That Old Flame,” “Take a Picture of This,” “Words Can Break Your Heart” and “When I Stop Dreaming.” “No Thank You” and “The Cost of Living” were also standouts.
When the concert song he performed was one of the CD’s celebrity duets, assorted band members ably substituted for the absent country star.
Shawn Colvin opened. Her latest CD is a collection of cover tunes, titled Uncovered. So her set included tunes by Graham Nash, Tom Waits and the late Red Lane (the Tammy Wynette classic “Til I Get It Right”), as well as her own songs (“Sunny Came Home,” etc.).
Extra security guards were posted to rigidly enforce Henley’s no-cell-phones ban during the concert. The star said he wanted us to be, “in the moment” with him. You could tell that several of the more smart-phone addicted were going through withdrawal.
Weekly Register: Toby Keith, Jana Kramer Enter Country Albums Chart
/by Craig_ShelburneToby Keith
Toby Keith and Jana Kramer are back-to-back on this week’s album charts, and because of streaming figures, they’re pretty much neck-and-neck when it comes to bragging rights for having the week’s highest debut. Keith’s 35 mph Town enters the country album chart at No. 2 with nearly 19K sold, while Kramer’s Thirty-One lands at No. 3 with nearly 18K sold.
However, on the overall chart, which factors in streaming and song downloads, Kramer’s set parks at No. 10 with nearly 22K units, outpacing Keith’s No. 14 position with just under 20K units.
Jana Kramer: Courtesy Warner Music Nashville
Other debuts on the country album chart are Jason Boland and the Stragglers’ Squelch, (No. 11, 4K), Josh Thompson’s Change: The Lost Record, Vol. 1 (No. 20, 2K) and Canadian country singer Corb Lund’s Things That Can’t Be Undone (No. 37, 1K).
Meanwhile, Luke Bryan returns to the top spot on the country album chart with Kill the Lights, selling 23K (648K to date). Don Henley’s Cass County (17K) and George Strait’s Cold Beer Conversation (16K) round out the Top 5.
The top country tracks this week are Thomas Rhett’s “Die a Happy Man” (49K), Bryan’s “Strip It Down” (38.5K), Cam’s “Burning House” (33K), and Sam Hunt’s “Break Up in a Small Town” (26K). Carrie Underwood’s brand new single, “Heartbeat,” debuts at No. 5 (23K).
On the overall chart, Selena Gomez debuts at No. 1 with Revival, moving 117K units (85K album only), just ahead of Game’s Documentary 2, with 95.5K units (83K album only). Country albums in the overall Top 10 are Bryan’s Kill the Lights (No. 6), Rhett’s Tangled Up (No. 7) and Kramer’s Thirty-One (No. 10)
Info according to Nielsen Soundscan
Round Hill Music, Big Yellow Dog Music Enter Deal For Josh Kear Back Catalog
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R, Front Row): Josh Gruss – RHM CEO; Josh Kear; Carla Wallace – Co-owner, Big Yellow Dog. Pictured (L-R, Back Row): Neil Gillis – RHM President; Kerry O’Neil – Co-owner, Big Yellow Dog; Mark Brown – RHM VP/ GM Nashville; Josh Saxe – RHM Associate Director, Creative.
Round Hill Music has inked a deal covering Josh Kear and Big Yellow Dog Music’s interests in all Kear-penned songs through 2014, including the hits “Need You Now,” “Before He Cheats,” “Highway Don’t Care,” and “Drunk On A Plane.”
Big Yellow Dog and Round Hill Music will jointly exploit Kear’s catalog. Kear is signed to Big Yellow Dog Music for future writing services.
”It is a rare opportunity to acquire such a high quality body of work as the Josh Kear catalog,” says Mark Brown, VP and GM of Round Hill Music, Nashville. “There are so many huge hits and many other great songs waiting to be exploited. We are extremely excited to have this catalog under our Round Hill umbrella.”
“We have known the Nashville and New York executives of RH for a very long time. They exemplify quality and professionalism. We are pleased to be able to work with them on this wonderful catalog of songs that they are now the passionate stewards of,” Big Yellow Dog Music co-owners Carla Wallace and Kerry O’Neil said.
Kear has been with independent publisher Big Yellow Dog Music for nearly 13 years. Other hit songs Kear has co-written include “Neon Light” (Blake Shelton), “Blown Away” and “Two Black Cadillacs” (Carrie Underwood), “Helluva Life,” (Frankie Ballard), and “Drunk On You” (Luke Bryan). “Need You Now” earned Grammy honors for both Country Song of the Year and the overall Song of the Year in 2011. “Before He Cheats” and “Blown Away” each earned Grammy Awards for Country Song of the Year.
Since 2007 Kear has received 13 ASCAP country airplay awards, two ASCAP pop airplay awards, and three ASCAP Country Song of the Year awards for “Before He Cheats,” “Need You Now” and “Drunk On You.” In 2013 he also took home the coveted award for Country Songwriter of the Year.
Blake Shelton Adds Second Nashville Stop To 2016 Tour
/by Jessica NicholsonBlake Shelton brought music back to the Row for the final installment of Warner Music Nashville’s Pickin’ on the Patio 2015. Photo: Alan Poizner
Blake Shelton‘s upcoming show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, slated for Friday, March 4, 2016, sold out this morning mere minutes after tickets went on sale. In response to the Music City love, Shelton has added a second Nashville show on Saturday, March 5 to his 2016 tour, presented by Gildan.
“Nashville is my second home and this is a hell of a homecoming,” said Shelton, who just last month shut down Music Row when more than 10,000 fans jammed the streets to join Shelton in concert in front of the Warner Music Nashville label office on 16th Avenue, for WMN’s Pickin’ On The Patio music series.
Tickets for his March 5, 2016 show date will go on sale at Ticketmaster on Friday, Oct. 23. Ticket prices for the tour range from $29.75 to $69.75.
Labelmate Chris Janson will be joining Shelton for the majority of the shows on his 2016 tour.
For additional Blake Shelton 2016 tour dates, visit blakeshelton.com.
In Pictures: Eric Church, Kenny Rogers, Rare Country Launch
/by Jessica NicholsonEric Church Crashes Own Induction Ceremony
Eric Church broke into his own induction ceremony into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame last night (Oct. 15), held at the Gem Theater in Kannapolis. After wrapping up earlier at a private event in his home state, Church was only an hour and a half from the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame ceremony, where his mother, Rita Church, and his sister, Kendra, were accepting on his behalf. Church, along with his wife Katherine and assistant Marshall Alexander, rushed to make it to the ceremony.
After attempting to find a back door entrance to the Gem Theater, Alexander scaled the wall to a second-level balcony entrance and grabbed a nearby ladder. He threw it over the edge of the balcony for Eric and Katherine to climb in order to make it to the stage for the ceremony on time. Church walked onstage just as his mother was thanking the fans. Eric also thanked fans before borrowing a guitar to perform an acoustic rendition of “Carolina.”
Eric and his mother Rita Church on stage at the North Carolina Hall of Fame ceremony on Oct. 15, 2015 at Gem Theater. Photo: Daniel Coston
Colt Ford and Kenny Rogers at GAC Taping
Colt Ford ran into Kenny Rogers last week while taping GACtv’s Playlist. During Ford’s golf pro days, he gave Kenny’s son, Christopher, golf lessons.
Pictured (L-R): Kenny Rogers, Colt Ford
Rare Country Celebrates Launch
Rare Country’s Chief Creative Officer and General Manager Laurissa Phillips and Senior Correspondent Hunter Kelly celebrated the Nashville launch of Rare Country with the industry’s brightest at its kickoff party Wednesday night (Oct. 14) at White Ave Studios in Nashville.
Pictured (L-R): Laurissa Phillips (Chief Creative Officer and General Manager) and Hunter Kelly (Senior Correspondent)
Winners of CMA Broadcast Awards Announced
/by Craig_ShelburneDerek Haskins, Patrick Thomas, and Sean Powell of “The Big D and Bubba Show” were named CMA National Broadcast Personality of the Year.
The winners of the CMA Broadcast Awards received the good news through surprise calls from “Love Me Like You Mean It” singer Kelsea Ballerini today (Oct. 16).
“I absolutely love visiting with my radio friends while I’m touring,” said Ballerini, who is in the running for Female Vocalist and New Artist of the Year. “Today was so fun calling to surprise them with the news of their win!”
“Part of our mission as a trade organization is to recognize excellence in this genre,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “Country radio has significant impact on this format and I would like to thank these winners for their many contributions to our industry and congratulate them on an outstanding year.”
The winners of the 2015 CMA Broadcast Awards are:
2015 CMA Broadcast Personality of the Year Winners
National – “The Big D and Bubba Show” (Derek Haskins, Sean Powell, and Patrick Thomas) – Compass Media Networks
Major Market – “Ben and Matt in the Morning” (Ben Campbell and Matt McAllister) – KNIX, Phoenix, Ariz.
Large Market – “Karen, Scott & Radar” (Karen Dalessandro, Scott Dolphin, and Tony “Radar” Hess) – WMIL, Milwaukee-Racine, Wis.
Medium Market – “Andy & Alison and The Morning Crew” (Andy Ritchie, Alison Mencer, and Jimmy Holt) – WIVK, Knoxville, Tenn.
Small Market – “The Dex & Mo Show” (Bill “Dex” Poindexter and Melissa “Mo” Turner) – WUSY, Chattanooga, Tenn.
2015 CMA Radio Station of the Year Winners
Major Market – WPOC – Baltimore, Md.
Large Market – WMIL – Milwaukee-Racine, Wis.
Medium Market – WIVK – Knoxville, Tenn.
Small Market – KCLR – Columbia, Mo.
The categories are established by market size based on population as ranked by Arbitron. Entries for Broadcast Personality of the Year are judged on aircheck, ratings, community involvement, and biographical information. Candidates for Station of the Year are judged on aircheck, ratings history, community involvement, and format leadership.
To be eligible, National Broadcast Personality of the Year candidates must be syndicated, short-form, hub voice-tracking, and satellite personalities heard in at least three markets with a minimum of 40 shows per year.
CMA members who are full-time, on-air personalities and CMA member radio stations in the United States and Canada were eligible. The entries are judged by a panel of distinguished broadcast professionals, representing all market sizes and regions.
CMA Broadcast Award winners are not eligible to enter in consecutive years; therefore, those who received trophies in 2014 were not eligible in 2015. Deloitte & Touche LLP tabulates scoring by the judges.
Tucker Beathard Releases Demos to Spotify
/by Eric T. ParkerDot Records’ Tucker Beathard, son of hit songwriter Casey Beathard, signed to the label in September. The 20-year-old now has a five-track collection of unmastered demos, released to Spotify today.
TUCKER BEATHARD: THE DEMOS VOL. 1 is a sample of the upcoming debut album slated for release next year.
Beathard started playing drums and guitar in a band with his brothers at 10 years old and had an early influence on his father’s songwriting—Tucker’s rebellious attitude as a teenager that inspired the lyrics for “Homeboy” (Eric Church). Beathard is signed for publishing with Big Machine Music.
Beathard has opened for superstars Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban and is currently out of the road with Maddie & Tae on their Start Here Tour. For more information, visit tuckerbeathardmusic.com.
TUCKER BEATHARD: THE DEMOS VOL. 1 Track List:
1. Rock On
2. Momma And Jesus
3. 20-10 Tennessee
4. Better Than Me
5. Free
Pandora Hires Former Borman Exec As Lead Country Curator
/by Jessica NicholsonRachel Barnhard Whitney
Pandora has tapped Rachel Barnhard Whitney to join the company as Lead Curator-Programmer, Country.
Whitney was most recently was Director, Digital Marketing at Borman Entertainment where she was an advocate on behalf of the Borman roster for new and existing partner programs via a variety of streaming, sales and marketing partners such as iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Google, and Pandora.
Prior to her work at Borman, she co-founded the digital marketing company Bigdata Marketing. Whitney has an MBA from Vanderbilt University.
Artist Updates: Kelsea Ballerini, Reba, Kacey Musgraves, Tootsie’s Nash Bash
/by Jessica NicholsonKelsea Ballerini Added To ‘Rock The Room Tour’ Nashville Show
Kelsea Ballerini has been added to the Nashville show of the Rock The Room Tour. The Nashville set will also feature performances from Reba, Martina McBride, and Kelly Clarkson.
The tour will launch at Nashville’s City Winery. The nearly sold-out show will honor Musicians On Call supporter Shane Tarleton (WMN’s VP and Creative Director) with a “Golden Ukelele” for the Leadership in Music Award. The event will also honor Musicians On Call volunteer recipients Harlan Pease with the Volunteer Musician Award, and Sandra Morgan with the Volunteer Guide Award.
For more information and tickets, visit musiciansoncall.org/RTRT.
Reba To Appear As Guest Announcer For ‘Best Time Ever With Neil Patrick Harris’
Reba McEntire performing in Together in Vegas. Photo: Caesars Palace.
Reba will serve as a guest announcer for the sixth episode of Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris, set for Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Reba will appear throughout the hour from the guest announcer booth, providing commentary and previews of what is to come during the show.
The show will also feature “Cheerleader” singer OMI, as well as Jesse Tyler Ferguson.
Kacey Musgraves’ Lucchese Boot Line To Debut Nov. 1
Kacey Musgraves will officially debut her Kacey for Lucchese boot collection on Nov. 1, when the collection hits stores. Kacey for Lucchese features four styles. Golden Arrow, for example, is constructed of marbled white leather, with metallic accents and Musgraves’ signature golden arrow on the side seam.
“This boot is majorly influenced from a 1950s pair that are my absolute favorite…I probably wear them at every show,” said Kacey. “Also the symbol that has brought me so many reasons to celebrate – the arrow.”
For more, visit lucchese.com.
Additionally, Musgraves will help flip the switch for Opry Goes Pink at the Grand Ole Opry on Tuesday, Oct. 27. The show, which will also feature Terri Clark and Montgomery Gentry, supports Women Rock for the Cure, in the fight against breast cancer. For tickets, visit opry.com.
Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge To Celebrate 55th Anniversary NASH Bash
The party, which will be located between 4th and 5th Avenue, will feature music from Randy Houser, Terri Clark, LOCASH, Chase Bryant, Michael Ray, Trick Pony, Confederate Railroad, Amanda Watkins, John Stone, Scott Collier, Anthony Orio, and more.
Jon Nite Discusses Risks in the Writing Room
/by Eric T. ParkerNite is the recipient of three MusicRow No. 1 Challenge Coins for writing “Strip It Down” (Luke Bryan), “Smoke” (A Thousand Horses), and “Beachin'” (Jake Owen). His significant success continued over the years with “Glass” (Thompson Square), “Tip It On Back” (Dierks Bentley), and “Whatever She’s Got” (David Nail).
The Sony/ATV songwriter gave insight into the Nashville songwriter community, citing Cam’s Sony Nashville breakthrough–“Burning House” (Jeff Bhasker/Tyler Johnson/Cam)–as unique because usually fewer risks are taken when writing music for radio. That song, he says, gives writers hope.
“’Burning House’ is a breath of fresh air,” noted Nite. “To see something on the radio that’s not worried about what anyone thinks is really motivating.”
As the conversation turned to digital music, Nite said, “Songwriters know streaming music is either going to save us or doom us. Most songwriters are optimistic, I am too. Someone will figure out how to compensate people for music.
“I’m thankful that [Nashville songwriters] Lee Thomas Miller and Nicolle Galyon are talking face-to-face to congressmen to plead our case because I’m not a talker. But it can’t hurt for those songwriters who go to Washington to show the power a hit song can have to change someone’s life, or to lay out the family budget compared to streaming compensation. I’m optimistic, but there needs to be about 1,000 percent difference to compensate for the loss of income from downloads.
“It’s funny when you talk to the songwriters who have been around for multiple decades, because they always refer to the ‘90s income boom. They say that 80 percent of the songwriters that would have been in a job are not in a job now. I’m the lucky one to get up and do it but it does feel like there is only a small community who are doing super well—I imagine probably 15 top songwriters and 200 professional writers.
“With such few songwriters, there is a decrease in songs like ‘Burning House.’ You can get in this self-perpetuating cycle where the sound of a hit is everywhere if songwriters think they can’t pay their bills or may get dropped unless they produce something that sounds like a radio hit. ‘Burning House’ is a backlash from the economics where you need to have a radio-sounding song.
“But even if we’re writing them, they still may not be pitched as a single. Even still, the songs that provide for your family are the ones that make it to terrestrial radio—radio listeners decide. All I know is there are lesser risks in the writing room, even less that are cut, not to mention singled.”
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