Richard Williams
Pianist-singer Richard Williams, who co-founded Nashville’s first rock ‘n’ roll band, has died at age 75 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Williams was a high-school student in Music City when he formed The Casuals with singer-songwriter Buzz Cason in 1956. Nashville’s pioneering rock group toured for many years with Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame member Brenda Lee.
Born in Nashville in 1939, Richard Williams was raised by his grandparents and graduated from East High. He formed The Richard Williams Trio in 1955. When Cason joined the group, the name was changed to The Casuals and the repertoire shifted to rockabilly and rock ‘n’ roll.
The group’s debut performance was at Lebanon High School in March 1956. Its high-energy stage act made it a popular attraction at Vanderbilt frat parties, local TV teen shows, skating rinks, drive-in movie theaters and high-school dances.
Williams and Cason co-wrote “My Love Song for You,” which became a regional hit for The Casuals in 1957 on Dot Records. It put the group on the road with such early rockers as Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Eddie Cochran as well as country stars such as Mel Tillis, Minnie Pearl and Kitty Wells.
In 1958, The Casuals were hired to join Brenda Lee’s road show. The largest selling female recording artist of the 1960s, Lee sang both rockabilly tunes and torchy ballads. The Casuals backed her in both styles and hit the road with her and such other teen stars as Fabian, Duane Eddy, Fats Domino, Roy Orbison, The Big Bopper, Buddy Knox, Jimmy Bowen, Bobby Darin and Chubby Checker.
They starred at The Brooklyn Paramount Theater at a legendary 1960 Christmas extravaganza with The Drifters, The Shirelles, The Coasters, Dion, Little Anthony & The Imperials, Bo Diddley, Neil Sedaka, Freddy Cannon and Bobby Vee.
Richard Williams and Buzz Cason joined Hugh Jarrett to form a studio-only vocal trio called The Statues, who made the charts with “Blue Velvet” in 1960 on Liberty Records. But they continued to be Casuals members as well.
In 1961 at Alan Freed’s Spectacular at The Hollywood Bowl, they headlined with The Ventures, B.B. King, Gene McDaniels, The Fleetwoods, Etta James and more. Cason left the group in 1962 and eventually became a successful Nashville producer, songwriter, publisher and recording artist. Williams assumed leadership of The Casuals. As Brenda Lee graduated from teen stardom to headlining supper clubs and Las Vegas showrooms, the band evolved with her.
The Casuals continued to record, as well, notably “Mustang 2+2” in 1964 on Sound Stage 7 Records and several songs for the Monument label in 1966. They also toured as a top “show band” when not on the road with Brenda Lee.
When Richard Williams departed the group in 1975, the Casuals name was retired. He subsequently moved to Ft. Lauderdale and became one of that city’s most popular solo nightclub entertainers.
Richard Williams died on Sept. 8. He is survived by his wife Vanessa, daughter Angela McCoy of Louisville, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren of Louisville and by aunt Jean Carroll of Madison, TN.
There will be a celebration of Richard Williams’ life on Sunday, Oct. 11 at Chef’s Market in Goodlettsville, TN, 4-7 p.m.
Carrie Underwood, Cam Performances To Be Streamed Live From Apple Music Festival
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Cam and Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood and Cam are set for performances today (Sept. 21) in London as part of the Apple Music Festival. Underwood’s headlining slot marks the first time a country performer has headlined the festival.
Both performances will be streamed live this afternoon, with Cam’s 20-minute set beginning at 1:20 p.m. CT. Underwood’s headlining, 70-minute set will begin at 3 p.m. CT.
To watch each performance, visit applemusic.com/festival
Weekly Register: Brett Eldredge Debuts at No. 1
/by Sarah SkatesBrett Eldredge performed his current single “Lose My Mind” last week on Good Morning America. Pictured (L-R): George Stephanopoulos, 2016 Miss America Betty Cantrell, Brett Eldredge, Amy Robach, Lara Spencer, Ginger Zee.
Brett Eldredge sings his way to the No. 1 country album spot this week, debuting with sales of 51K (44K album only). His sophomore album, Illinois, lands at No. 3 on the overall chart. Eldredge celebrated the Warner Music Nashville release with an album preview event recently at Ocean Way studios in Nashville.
Rounding out the top 5 country albums are: Luke Bryan (27K), Sam Hunt (9K), Zac Brown Band (6.6K) and Eric Church (5.4K)
Bryan and Hunt also have tracks in the country top 5: Bryan’s “Strip It Down” is at No. 1 with 42K TW, and Hunt’s “House Party” is at No. 5 with 26K.
Compared to 2014, the number of downloads being sold by the top country track is down significantly. During the same week last year, Jason Aldean was moving 78K of “Burnin’ It Down.”
In 2015, Cam is the one on fire. Her “Burning House” sold 33K this week, landing at No. 2 country, followed by Chris Janson “Buy Me A Boat” (28K) and Keith Urban “John Cougar, John Deere…” (27K).
Toby Keith’s “Rum Is The Reason” is the top country debut track, coming in at No. 24 with 8.4K downloads.
On the overall charts, The Weeknd has the top album with 99K total activity (48K album only), and Justin Bieber has the top track, selling 128K of “What Do You Mean?”
YTD Albums
Overall -4%
Overall digital -.3%
Country -3.2%
Country digital +4.2%
YTD Tracks
Overall -10.5%
Country -16%
Womack Woos Americana Crowd in Nashville
/by Eric T. ParkerLee Ann Womack performs during the 2015 Americana Music Fest. Photo: Eric Parker
Lee Ann Womack whisked to the stage of Nashville’s 3rd and Lindsley on Friday night (Sept. 18) as part of the Americana Music Festival.
Sandwiched between Los Angeles cowboy Sam Outlaw and Michigan honky tonker Whitey Morgan, Womack drew a standing-room-only crowd for a set of signature tunes. The Sugar Hill Records star has been promoting her Americana-leaning album The Way I’m Livin’ since its release last year, including stops overseas.
Her slimmed touring band of four delivered her “Never Again, Again,” “Ashes By Now,” and “Does My Ring Burn Your Finger” with Womack even picking up a guitar of her own at times. With the absence of a steel guitar, triple fiddles were a welcomed flair during her cover of George Jones’ “You’re Still On My Mind,” and then for her own “I May Hate Myself In The Morning.”
“How country do you like it? Or should I say, ‘How country can you take it?’” Womack provoked the lively crowd, noticing a woman tearing up in the front. “She’s crying! Well, my job is done…Aren’t I a sick person? I love to make people cry. I love crying, too.”
With the ability to record the art she finds compelling, Womack proves she is in her element. She briefly mentioned she always envied the Buddy Miller[s] of the Americana world, where she hoped to fit in one day. For her, that day is now, with the new material she performed including “Chances Are,” “Send It On Down,” and her latest album’s title track “The Way I’m Livin’.”
After a rendition of her 2008 MCA Nashville track, “The Bees,” Womack left the stage as dignified as she arrived. The audience got a taste for more traditional material with Jim Lauderdale, who was also on the night’s bill.
Vince Gill And Lyle Lovett To Reunite For 2016 Tour
/by Troy_StephensonVince Gill
Lyle Lovett
After a series of successful concerts earlier this year, Vince Gill and Lyle Lovett will reunite for a 13-city tour that will take place in February and March of 2016.
Each show will be a series of intimate solo and duo performances, during which the artists will serve as their own accompanists.
“For a night like this, there is no plan,” Gill said. “I know Lyle won’t have a plan, and I won’t either. What he plays will inspire me, and probably vice-versa. It’ll be like playing ping-pong. Whatever song he chooses to sing will inspire the next song that comes out of me.”
“I enjoy shows that are not planned out,” Lovett adds. “This will be two songwriters in the round. It’s informal, so there will be lots of ad-libbing. It will be like little snapshots of our experiences.”
Dates and locations for Vince Gill and Lyle Lovett:
Feb. 17 — Montgomery, AL — Montgomery Performing Arts Centre
Feb. 18 — Huntsville, AL — Von Braun Center Concert Hall
Feb. 19 — Birmingham, AL — Alabama Theatre
Feb. 20 — Atlanta, GA — Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
Feb. 21 — Asheville, NC — Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
Feb. 23 — Daytona Beach, FL — Peabody Auditorium
Feb. 24 — Clearwater, FL — Ruth Eckerd Hall
Feb. 25 — Jacksonville, FL — Florida Theatre
Feb. 26 — Sarasota, FL — Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
Feb. 27 — Key West, FL — Tennessee Williams Theatre
Feb. 28 — Melbourne, FL — King Center for the Performing Arts
Feb. 29 — Fort Myers, FL — Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall
March 1 — Coral Springs, FL — Coral Springs Center for the Arts
LifeNotes: Local Rock ‘n’ Roll Pioneer Richard Williams Passes
/by Robert K OermannRichard Williams
Pianist-singer Richard Williams, who co-founded Nashville’s first rock ‘n’ roll band, has died at age 75 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Williams was a high-school student in Music City when he formed The Casuals with singer-songwriter Buzz Cason in 1956. Nashville’s pioneering rock group toured for many years with Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame member Brenda Lee.
Born in Nashville in 1939, Richard Williams was raised by his grandparents and graduated from East High. He formed The Richard Williams Trio in 1955. When Cason joined the group, the name was changed to The Casuals and the repertoire shifted to rockabilly and rock ‘n’ roll.
The group’s debut performance was at Lebanon High School in March 1956. Its high-energy stage act made it a popular attraction at Vanderbilt frat parties, local TV teen shows, skating rinks, drive-in movie theaters and high-school dances.
Williams and Cason co-wrote “My Love Song for You,” which became a regional hit for The Casuals in 1957 on Dot Records. It put the group on the road with such early rockers as Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Eddie Cochran as well as country stars such as Mel Tillis, Minnie Pearl and Kitty Wells.
In 1958, The Casuals were hired to join Brenda Lee’s road show. The largest selling female recording artist of the 1960s, Lee sang both rockabilly tunes and torchy ballads. The Casuals backed her in both styles and hit the road with her and such other teen stars as Fabian, Duane Eddy, Fats Domino, Roy Orbison, The Big Bopper, Buddy Knox, Jimmy Bowen, Bobby Darin and Chubby Checker.
They starred at The Brooklyn Paramount Theater at a legendary 1960 Christmas extravaganza with The Drifters, The Shirelles, The Coasters, Dion, Little Anthony & The Imperials, Bo Diddley, Neil Sedaka, Freddy Cannon and Bobby Vee.
Richard Williams and Buzz Cason joined Hugh Jarrett to form a studio-only vocal trio called The Statues, who made the charts with “Blue Velvet” in 1960 on Liberty Records. But they continued to be Casuals members as well.
In 1961 at Alan Freed’s Spectacular at The Hollywood Bowl, they headlined with The Ventures, B.B. King, Gene McDaniels, The Fleetwoods, Etta James and more. Cason left the group in 1962 and eventually became a successful Nashville producer, songwriter, publisher and recording artist. Williams assumed leadership of The Casuals. As Brenda Lee graduated from teen stardom to headlining supper clubs and Las Vegas showrooms, the band evolved with her.
The Casuals continued to record, as well, notably “Mustang 2+2” in 1964 on Sound Stage 7 Records and several songs for the Monument label in 1966. They also toured as a top “show band” when not on the road with Brenda Lee.
When Richard Williams departed the group in 1975, the Casuals name was retired. He subsequently moved to Ft. Lauderdale and became one of that city’s most popular solo nightclub entertainers.
Richard Williams died on Sept. 8. He is survived by his wife Vanessa, daughter Angela McCoy of Louisville, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren of Louisville and by aunt Jean Carroll of Madison, TN.
There will be a celebration of Richard Williams’ life on Sunday, Oct. 11 at Chef’s Market in Goodlettsville, TN, 4-7 p.m.
Alabama Releases First Album In 14 Years Today
/by Sarah SkatesBMG is promoting the album with a sign spinner in front of its 16th Ave. offices today, drive by before 6 p.m. and honk if you love Alabama!
Alabama released their first studio album in fourteen years today (Sept. 18). The band is in New York City to celebrate the release of Southern Drawl and will perform tonight at The Beacon Theater.
After taking a break from recording and touring for over a decade, the band was refreshed and ready to record again. “We are excited about this. We really put our hearts into it,” said lead singer Randy Owen.
Album standouts include “Wasn’t Through Lovin’ You Yet,” “American Farmer,” the rowdy “Hillbilly Wins The Lotto Money,” the heart-warming “I Wanna Be There,” and “Come Find Me,” featuring vocals by Alison Krauss.
The band recently received the Career Achievement Award at the ACM Honors at the historic Ryman Auditorium.
In all, the band has won 178 awards including Grammy® Awards, CMA Awards, ACM Awards and Billboard Awards. They’ve sold over 73 million albums and raised over $250 million for charity.
BMI Photos: Loufest Music Festival
/by Jessica NicholsonEight BMI bands from areas as far as South Carolina, Texas, New York and Tennessee brought high energy and hit songs to the BMI sponsored stage at Loufest music festival, held Sept. 12 and 13 in St. Louis. Now in its third year, the festival highlights up-and-coming acts including BMI bands COIN, KOA and the Suffers, as well as top-notch global hit-makers, such as BMI singer-songwriters Hozier, Nico & Vinz and Ludacris.
Out of New York, BMI band Walking Shapes closes the BMI stage at Loufest. The group synth-rock band boogied with the crowd, playing tracks off Taka Come On, their most recent album.
The incredible Dallas-based The Suffers showed St. Louis their soul-funk sound. The BMI band got the crowd moving, roaring through songs off their yet-to-be-released debut.
Opening up day two of the BMI stage at Loufest, BMI indie-rock band Earl Burrows tears through songs on their recent debut No Love for the Drowning.
Nashville’s BMI band COIN provides a synth-pop soundtrack to the sunset at the BMI stage at Loufest. The group’s debut self-titled release is out now.
Members of Nashville-based BMI band COIN pose with BMI’s Mark Mason before their set on the BMI stage at Loufest.
Charleston, S.C.’s Brave Baby performs to a full crowd at the BMI stage at Loufest. The band highlighted their energetic rock n’ roll songs off their latest release Electric Friends.
KOA: Nashville-based BMI band KOA bring their signature laid-back jams to the BMI stage at Loufest. They definitely added festival goers to the Koalition, their dedicated group of supporters.
Natalie Maines Inducted Into Hometown Walk of Fame
/by Eric T. Parker2015 Lubbock, Texas Walk of Fame Inductees Natalie Maines (L) Jo Harvey Allen (R). Photo: A-J Media/Mark Rogers
Natalie Maines was inducted into the West Texas Walk of Fame last night (Sept. 17) in a ceremony held in her hometown of Lubbock, Texas. Playwright/actress Jo Harvey Allen was also inducted at the event, which was held at the Lubbock High School due to renovations at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center.
“I never quite fit in [here], but I kinda liked that and used it to my benefit,” said Maines of growing up in her hometown while delivering her acceptance speech, posted via video by the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. “I was the first cheerleader that I knew of with half of my head shaved–I was also very proud of that accomplishment.”
Past inductee and father of the Dixie Chicks front-woman, Lloyd Maines, joined his daughter during an acoustic performance of “Wide Open Spaces” in front of the capacity crowd.
In an interview with the paper prior the ceremony, Maines revealed she was first hesitant to accept the honor but became convinced when it was revealed she would be standing next to Allen, representing strong females.
Industry Ink: WMBA, Spin Doctors Music Group, Katherine Lepore, ACM
/by Jessica NicholsonWMBA Brings “The Buzz”
Pictured (L-R): Stacy Scism, Lyndie Wenner, Beville Dunkerley, Liz Motley, Makayla Telfer.
The Nashville Women’s Music Business Association (WMBA) held its September meeting at the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) offices on Music Row on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2015. The meeting featured a panel discussion on THE BUZZ: PR 360 offering a 360-view of what PR is today as compared to how it used to be in the music industry and featured guest speakers Lyndie Wenner, Nashville Executive Director at MSO PR, and Beville Dunkerley, Senior Editor at Rolling Stone Country with moderator Liz Motley, Publicist at Motley Media, and the WMBA co-chair of Marketing & Membership.
WMBA Vice-President Makayla Telfer announced 2016 membership applications and officer nominations are open.
Spin Doctors Music Group Adds Director of Marketing/Client Services
Mary Catherine Harrington
Spin Doctors Music Group has hired Mary Catherine Harrington as Director Of Marketing and Client Services. Mary is a recent LSU graduate and her career background includes time as Activities and Events Coordinator-Country Club Of Louisiana, Artist Liason for Natchitoches Jazz and R&B Festival, and Public Relations and Marketing Rep for “G-Wear”.
Spin Doctors Music Group President/CEO Al Brock said, “Mary brings a breath of fresh air and a phenomenal skill set to what we do. She has great people skills, and fits perfectly with our awesome artist and client roster.”
Harrington can be reached at (615) 329-3375 or by email at mary@spindoctorsnashville.com
Celebration of Life For Katherine Lepore
Katherine (Whipple) Lepore
A celebration of life for Katherine (Whipple) Lepore has been set for Saturday, Sept. 19 from 2 p.m.-5 p.m. at Timothy Demonbreun House, located at 746 Benton Ave., Nashville 37204.
Lepore worked as a stylist in Los Angeles and in Nashville, including styling for several CMT programs. She was Madison, Wis., native, and a graduate of the University of Washington, and Pepperdine University, where she earned an MA in computer science and education. Lepore died Sept. 14 at home; she was 44.
She is survived by by her husband, Don Lepore; her parents, Hank and Judy Whipple; sister, Sarah (Fred) Whipple; brother, Michael (Laura) Whipple; niece, Nina; and nephew, Jake.
Memorials may be sent to The Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, c/o Gifts Processing, PMB 407727, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, Nashville, TN 37240-7727.
Scott Departs ACM
Jenelle Scott
Jenelle Scott, publicist for the Academy of Country Music, has departed the organization; her last day was today (Sept. 18). Scott joined the ACM in 2012.
ACM’s Sr. VP of PR and Marketing Brooke Primero is currently seeking a junior publicist and can be reached at brooke@acmcountry.com.
Lauren Alaina Set To Release Self-Titled EP
/by Troy_StephensonMercury Nashville/19/Interscope Records’ Lauren Alaina is set to release her self-titled EP on Oct. 2. The American Idol alum is finalizing her second studio album due out next year. The first single, “Next Boyfriend,” impacts radio Sept. 28.
Along with “Next Boyfriend,” Lauren co-wrote all tracks on the five-song EP including “History,” a song Lauren recorded specifically at ESPN’s request for an exclusive promo track for its extensive college football coverage this season. “History” is also used for the top college matchups each week.
Lauren Alaina EP Track Listing:
1. Road Less Traveled (Lauren Alaina, Jesse Frasure, Meghan Trainor)
2. Holding The Other (Lauren Alaina, Emily Weisband, Eric Olson)
3. Next Boyfriend (Lauren Alaina, Emily Weisband, Matt McVaney)
4. Painting Pillows (Lauren Alaina, Lindsay Jack Rimes, Alex Masters)
5. History (Lauren Alaina, Emily Weisband, Jesse Frasure)
For more information on Lauren, her new EP and music, visit www.LaurenAlainaOfficial.com.