Dave Brainard
Dave Brainard, producer of Brandy Clark’s Grammy nominated 12 Stories, appeared on The Producer’s Chair, Thursday, February 26, 2015 at Douglas Corner Cafe at 6 p.m.
By: James Rea
No one knows better than Dave Brainard how far producers must go to prevent greatness from slipping into obscurity. Such was the case with newcomer Brandy Clark and her multi-award-nominated album 12 Stories. The talented 38-year-old female artist—who had been turned down by every label in Nashville—was propelled by Brainard’s impeccable production to accomplish the impossible.
Clark received a CMA nomination for New Artist of the Year, and won Song of the Year. She received two Grammy nominations for Best Country Album and all-genre Best New Artist. Going in to the upcoming ACM Awards, she has nominations for Female Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year “Follow Your Arrow” (recorded by Kacey Musgraves). Brandy was also named MusicRow Magazine’s Breakthrough Artist of the Year in 2014. All of which was largely due to the fact that Brainard and engineer Brian Kolb stepped up to the plate to finish the album.
Brainard is self-taught, starting in 1993 on a TASCAM 4-track cassette recorder, progressing to an 8-track, then to a Roland VS-880 and Pro Tools (2000). Brainard established his own deciBel Productions, and Mix Dream Studios with Kolb. Many of Nashville’s most prominent songwriters record there, including Steven Dale Jones, Dallas Davidson, Ben Hayslip, Rhett Akins, Mark D. Sanders and John Goodwin.
Brainard’s father was an Air Force Master Sergeant who moved his family from Seoul, South Korea (where Brainard was born) to Omaha, Nebraska, then to Germany and back to Nebraska. Dave picked up guitar in eighth grade and was eventually teaching 40 students per week at a local music store. Brainard attended the University of Omaha Nebraska, majoring in piano for one year, before being stationed in Omaha with the United States Air Force Band, serving 5 years.
His inspiration came from artists like Garth Brooks and Diamond Rio, and musicians like Brent Mason.
Since arriving in Nashville in 1999, Brainard has produced an independent album on Jamey Johnson in 2002, a Western Underground album in 2007, two Ray Scott albums and two Jerrod Niemann albums. Niemann brought Brainard his first No. 1 single as a producer, the Platinum selling “Lover Lover.”
During the same period, Brainard has had publishing deals with Balmur Music and Bigger Picture (formerly Big Picture). As a songwriter, he has had cuts by Neal McCoy, Sammy Kershaw, Kellie Coffee, Ricochet, Brooks & Dunn and the Hunter Hayes/Jason Mraz’s duet “Everybody’s Got Somebody But Me,” all while touring as a sideman with Rebecca Lynn Howard, Anthony Smith, Marcel, David Nail and Jessica Andrews.
The Producer’s Chair: How did you get signed to Balmur?
Dave Brainard: Tammy Brown (A&R at Sony Records) was working with an artist by the name of Gina West that I happened to be writing with. Tammy took an interest and referred me to Scott Gunter over at Almo Irving [Publishing]. Scott is now one of my best mentors and friends. He drug me over the Gunter coals in a great way. He opened up the door at Almo and I started writing with some of their writers. Thom Schuyler was signed to Almo at the time and he left Almo to go run Balmur. Thom was looking for a couple of young writers and Scott said, “here’s your guy.” So it goes back to Tammy.
My first cut was by Neal McCoy with a song called “What If.” The single got 17 ads the first week, 9 ads the second week then, nothing. A friend who was in-the-know said, “They’re going to pull that single.” Meanwhile, I was out looking at houses thinking, “Man, this songwriting stuff is easy.” Then the promotion staff at Warner Bros. was fired and they dropped Neal. That began my long line of songwriter heartaches—artists that cut my songs and lose their record deals. I became known to myself as, the guy that killed careers. Tebey Ottoh, Emerson Drive, Kellie Coffee–It was weird. There were at least a half a dozen. Then the big one was Brooks & Dunn. They changed producers and recorded all new songs, after recording my song, which ended up as a bonus track for Best Buy.
At that point I had a bunch of cuts but didn’t really have the track-record to score another deal after Big Picture. So I ducked out for a while to start my own studio.
Have you always been a risk-taker?
Because of my compulsive tendencies, I’ve poured myself into a lot projects without upfront compensation, costing a lot of money without a proportionate equity in the end. Dave Ramsey would not be happy with me. But it was what I had to do to build a body of work to give me credibility. Through the process, I realized I was doing more than just producing records. I was developing artists.
My company, deciBel Nashville, came out of a necessity to park equity in those different values that are created for an artist beyond the studio. To build the foundation of a business for an artist—finding investors, strategizing touring and marketing, social media—all those things that can be done before a major label. Ultimately it’s much more appealing to a label nowadays to partner with a developed artist, one that has a sound, a brand, and a fan base. I see a lot of room to create value in all of those areas. My belief is that the 4-point producer royalty is an antiquated model. So my version is to fairly earn other parts of the revenue streams that can come from a great record. The main thing is production and touring but somewhere in there, publishing can be an element.
Why were all of the top writers coming to you for demos?
I always thought the experience had to be great. No drama, no bitchin’, let’s make music and let’s have fun. It was always fun and sincere and a good vibe and it felt really creative. So we built up this great clientele. Brian was doing the full demos and I was doing glorified guitar/vocals, hiring a piano or a fiddle where we needed it. It was reputation, price-point, it felt musical, and they were having success getting cuts. For the glorified guitar vocals, the price-point was less than a demo and many times it was more effective because I think it covered that gap between filling in the imagination for A&R people and capturing the organic-ness of the song without getting in the way—right in that sweet spot.
How did you meet Jerrod Niemann?
We moved to town around the same time. We became pretty good friends though we never really rolled in the same circles. We kept in touch, and I’d occasionally do some demo work for him. Then we re-connected and in 2008 Jerrod had lost his record deal with Category 5 and he was on the road working his tail off and basically needed something to sell at those dates.
When did you produce Jamey Johnson?
Before I got my Balmur deal. Within a year and a half of being in town I had a small reputation doing this cool VS880 thing and I’d just gotten into Pro Tools. Jamey found me through a friend and asked me to demo a couple of things. His investor said he wanted to do a record. Fast forward a decade, it was through Jamey Johnson’s team, specifically Emilie Marchbanks, that I connected with Brandy Clark, who was looking for a producer.
Were you disappointed when country radio didn’t embrace 12 Stories?
I thought that if you could get Brandy’s music through to radio, it would be great for the format and help take it back to where it used to be—perhaps turn the lights on and expand the demographic back to a place where listeners get to enjoy more substantive music. I always thought country radio would be great with it. But radio never had a chance to embrace it, with the exception of John Marks and Sirius XM. In Nashville, it just didn’t make it past the gate-keepers at the record labels, so you can’t really blame radio because they never really had a shot at it.
Do you agree that Brandy’s album has done the impossible?
That’s probably what I’m most proud of. I believe the quality of content drove a lot of it, but to see how hard Brandy has worked to make this happen can’t be taken for granted. I also have to applaud Jackie Marushka and the folks at Shorefire. They did some amazing things, from a publicity standpoint, to break down the barriers.
Why do you think Brandy didn’t get signed in Nashville?
My understanding is that Nashville’s distribution channels aren’t compatible with how an artist like Brandy should be marketed. It’s a head-scratcher for sure. When Warner Bros. in Los Angeles fell in love with the record they said they were going to do whatever it takes to develop a marketing plan around Brandy. That was refreshing to hear.
I understand that during production, you had an epiphany about your production philosophy.
I remember sitting in my studio with Brandy and having realizing that it’s not about about the money. I just want the best for this person. I wanted Brandy to have an amazing life, and great career…whatever it took. And the cool thing about Brandy is that, it was reciprocated. Every time I would say something like, “Your vocals are so great on this track, you’re amazing,” she’d say, “No, you’re the amazing one. If it weren’t for all the time you put into it, it wouldn’t be this way.” …and so on.
The inspirational process is that you want the best for them and they want the best for you. It fuels inspiration. I realized with Brandy that this sets the benchmark for what I need to be doing from now on with anybody I work with.
You said: “I believe in making a difference, and in excellence.” What difference do you feel that 12 Stories has already made and will make?
It opens the door for female artists to take on edgier subject matter and let their hair down a bit. I think it inspires young songwriters to want to dig a little deeper. From a production standpoint, I think it’s a good example of what can happen when there’s more space around a great song or vocal and not so much compression, and I really see it raising the bar all around for anyone wanting to come to Nashville to make music.
I come from a Beatles, rock, jazz, classical background, but I love what I discovered in country music. I love Nashville. I love the traditions. To me, it’s worth fighting for. It’s nice to be a part of something that swings back to what makes this town great.
When did you start to trust your judgment, of what excellence is?
That’s probably military. It goes back to the Air Force’s core values: integrity, service before self, teamwork and attention to detail. It comes from experiencing what it feels like having a 4-Star General command a room of other powerful men and women. It comes from learning proper protocol and observing the teamwork and leadership that it takes to achieve certain things. In this industry I look for that too. I’ve felt that in a room with Joe Galante and Tim Dubois. It’s very rare to feel the weight or the gravity of leadership in a room the way I used to feel when I’d see Admiral Childs give a speech. Excellence comes from somewhere in there. That illusive thing that keeps making you want to achieve the best you can. Kinda like a carrot on a 50 foot stick.
What has been the most pivotal moment in your career, thus far?
Not winning the Grammy. It’s great. It feels like we just got a chance to sit at the table and now we’ve gotta work a lot harder.
Shelton, Swift, Trainor Earn Kids Choice Awards Nominations
/by Jessica NicholsonShelton is in the running for Favorite Male Singer, alongside Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake, Nick Jonas, Pharrell Williams, and Sam Smith.
Trainor is up for Best New Artist, and her infectious “All About That Bass” is nominated for Favorite Song of the Year, alongside Swift’s “Shake It Off,” “Bang Bang” (Jessie J./Ariana Grande/Nicki Minaj), “Dark Horse” (Katy Perry), “Fancy” (Iggy Azalea/Charli XCX), “Problem” (Ariana Grande/Iggy Azalea).
Swift also earned a nomination for Favorite Female Singer, alongside Beyonce, Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, and Selena Gomez.
The Producer’s Chair: Dave Brainard
/by contributorDave Brainard
Dave Brainard, producer of Brandy Clark’s Grammy nominated 12 Stories, appeared on The Producer’s Chair, Thursday, February 26, 2015 at Douglas Corner Cafe at 6 p.m.
By: James Rea
No one knows better than Dave Brainard how far producers must go to prevent greatness from slipping into obscurity. Such was the case with newcomer Brandy Clark and her multi-award-nominated album 12 Stories. The talented 38-year-old female artist—who had been turned down by every label in Nashville—was propelled by Brainard’s impeccable production to accomplish the impossible.
Clark received a CMA nomination for New Artist of the Year, and won Song of the Year. She received two Grammy nominations for Best Country Album and all-genre Best New Artist. Going in to the upcoming ACM Awards, she has nominations for Female Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year “Follow Your Arrow” (recorded by Kacey Musgraves). Brandy was also named MusicRow Magazine’s Breakthrough Artist of the Year in 2014. All of which was largely due to the fact that Brainard and engineer Brian Kolb stepped up to the plate to finish the album.
Brainard is self-taught, starting in 1993 on a TASCAM 4-track cassette recorder, progressing to an 8-track, then to a Roland VS-880 and Pro Tools (2000). Brainard established his own deciBel Productions, and Mix Dream Studios with Kolb. Many of Nashville’s most prominent songwriters record there, including Steven Dale Jones, Dallas Davidson, Ben Hayslip, Rhett Akins, Mark D. Sanders and John Goodwin.
Brainard’s father was an Air Force Master Sergeant who moved his family from Seoul, South Korea (where Brainard was born) to Omaha, Nebraska, then to Germany and back to Nebraska. Dave picked up guitar in eighth grade and was eventually teaching 40 students per week at a local music store. Brainard attended the University of Omaha Nebraska, majoring in piano for one year, before being stationed in Omaha with the United States Air Force Band, serving 5 years.
His inspiration came from artists like Garth Brooks and Diamond Rio, and musicians like Brent Mason.
Since arriving in Nashville in 1999, Brainard has produced an independent album on Jamey Johnson in 2002, a Western Underground album in 2007, two Ray Scott albums and two Jerrod Niemann albums. Niemann brought Brainard his first No. 1 single as a producer, the Platinum selling “Lover Lover.”
During the same period, Brainard has had publishing deals with Balmur Music and Bigger Picture (formerly Big Picture). As a songwriter, he has had cuts by Neal McCoy, Sammy Kershaw, Kellie Coffee, Ricochet, Brooks & Dunn and the Hunter Hayes/Jason Mraz’s duet “Everybody’s Got Somebody But Me,” all while touring as a sideman with Rebecca Lynn Howard, Anthony Smith, Marcel, David Nail and Jessica Andrews.
The Producer’s Chair: How did you get signed to Balmur?
Dave Brainard: Tammy Brown (A&R at Sony Records) was working with an artist by the name of Gina West that I happened to be writing with. Tammy took an interest and referred me to Scott Gunter over at Almo Irving [Publishing]. Scott is now one of my best mentors and friends. He drug me over the Gunter coals in a great way. He opened up the door at Almo and I started writing with some of their writers. Thom Schuyler was signed to Almo at the time and he left Almo to go run Balmur. Thom was looking for a couple of young writers and Scott said, “here’s your guy.” So it goes back to Tammy.
My first cut was by Neal McCoy with a song called “What If.” The single got 17 ads the first week, 9 ads the second week then, nothing. A friend who was in-the-know said, “They’re going to pull that single.” Meanwhile, I was out looking at houses thinking, “Man, this songwriting stuff is easy.” Then the promotion staff at Warner Bros. was fired and they dropped Neal. That began my long line of songwriter heartaches—artists that cut my songs and lose their record deals. I became known to myself as, the guy that killed careers. Tebey Ottoh, Emerson Drive, Kellie Coffee–It was weird. There were at least a half a dozen. Then the big one was Brooks & Dunn. They changed producers and recorded all new songs, after recording my song, which ended up as a bonus track for Best Buy.
At that point I had a bunch of cuts but didn’t really have the track-record to score another deal after Big Picture. So I ducked out for a while to start my own studio.
Have you always been a risk-taker?
Because of my compulsive tendencies, I’ve poured myself into a lot projects without upfront compensation, costing a lot of money without a proportionate equity in the end. Dave Ramsey would not be happy with me. But it was what I had to do to build a body of work to give me credibility. Through the process, I realized I was doing more than just producing records. I was developing artists.
My company, deciBel Nashville, came out of a necessity to park equity in those different values that are created for an artist beyond the studio. To build the foundation of a business for an artist—finding investors, strategizing touring and marketing, social media—all those things that can be done before a major label. Ultimately it’s much more appealing to a label nowadays to partner with a developed artist, one that has a sound, a brand, and a fan base. I see a lot of room to create value in all of those areas. My belief is that the 4-point producer royalty is an antiquated model. So my version is to fairly earn other parts of the revenue streams that can come from a great record. The main thing is production and touring but somewhere in there, publishing can be an element.
Why were all of the top writers coming to you for demos?
I always thought the experience had to be great. No drama, no bitchin’, let’s make music and let’s have fun. It was always fun and sincere and a good vibe and it felt really creative. So we built up this great clientele. Brian was doing the full demos and I was doing glorified guitar/vocals, hiring a piano or a fiddle where we needed it. It was reputation, price-point, it felt musical, and they were having success getting cuts. For the glorified guitar vocals, the price-point was less than a demo and many times it was more effective because I think it covered that gap between filling in the imagination for A&R people and capturing the organic-ness of the song without getting in the way—right in that sweet spot.
How did you meet Jerrod Niemann?
We moved to town around the same time. We became pretty good friends though we never really rolled in the same circles. We kept in touch, and I’d occasionally do some demo work for him. Then we re-connected and in 2008 Jerrod had lost his record deal with Category 5 and he was on the road working his tail off and basically needed something to sell at those dates.
When did you produce Jamey Johnson?
Before I got my Balmur deal. Within a year and a half of being in town I had a small reputation doing this cool VS880 thing and I’d just gotten into Pro Tools. Jamey found me through a friend and asked me to demo a couple of things. His investor said he wanted to do a record. Fast forward a decade, it was through Jamey Johnson’s team, specifically Emilie Marchbanks, that I connected with Brandy Clark, who was looking for a producer.
Were you disappointed when country radio didn’t embrace 12 Stories?
I thought that if you could get Brandy’s music through to radio, it would be great for the format and help take it back to where it used to be—perhaps turn the lights on and expand the demographic back to a place where listeners get to enjoy more substantive music. I always thought country radio would be great with it. But radio never had a chance to embrace it, with the exception of John Marks and Sirius XM. In Nashville, it just didn’t make it past the gate-keepers at the record labels, so you can’t really blame radio because they never really had a shot at it.
Do you agree that Brandy’s album has done the impossible?
That’s probably what I’m most proud of. I believe the quality of content drove a lot of it, but to see how hard Brandy has worked to make this happen can’t be taken for granted. I also have to applaud Jackie Marushka and the folks at Shorefire. They did some amazing things, from a publicity standpoint, to break down the barriers.
Why do you think Brandy didn’t get signed in Nashville?
My understanding is that Nashville’s distribution channels aren’t compatible with how an artist like Brandy should be marketed. It’s a head-scratcher for sure. When Warner Bros. in Los Angeles fell in love with the record they said they were going to do whatever it takes to develop a marketing plan around Brandy. That was refreshing to hear.
I understand that during production, you had an epiphany about your production philosophy.
I remember sitting in my studio with Brandy and having realizing that it’s not about about the money. I just want the best for this person. I wanted Brandy to have an amazing life, and great career…whatever it took. And the cool thing about Brandy is that, it was reciprocated. Every time I would say something like, “Your vocals are so great on this track, you’re amazing,” she’d say, “No, you’re the amazing one. If it weren’t for all the time you put into it, it wouldn’t be this way.” …and so on.
The inspirational process is that you want the best for them and they want the best for you. It fuels inspiration. I realized with Brandy that this sets the benchmark for what I need to be doing from now on with anybody I work with.
You said: “I believe in making a difference, and in excellence.” What difference do you feel that 12 Stories has already made and will make?
It opens the door for female artists to take on edgier subject matter and let their hair down a bit. I think it inspires young songwriters to want to dig a little deeper. From a production standpoint, I think it’s a good example of what can happen when there’s more space around a great song or vocal and not so much compression, and I really see it raising the bar all around for anyone wanting to come to Nashville to make music.
I come from a Beatles, rock, jazz, classical background, but I love what I discovered in country music. I love Nashville. I love the traditions. To me, it’s worth fighting for. It’s nice to be a part of something that swings back to what makes this town great.
When did you start to trust your judgment, of what excellence is?
That’s probably military. It goes back to the Air Force’s core values: integrity, service before self, teamwork and attention to detail. It comes from experiencing what it feels like having a 4-Star General command a room of other powerful men and women. It comes from learning proper protocol and observing the teamwork and leadership that it takes to achieve certain things. In this industry I look for that too. I’ve felt that in a room with Joe Galante and Tim Dubois. It’s very rare to feel the weight or the gravity of leadership in a room the way I used to feel when I’d see Admiral Childs give a speech. Excellence comes from somewhere in there. That illusive thing that keeps making you want to achieve the best you can. Kinda like a carrot on a 50 foot stick.
What has been the most pivotal moment in your career, thus far?
Not winning the Grammy. It’s great. It feels like we just got a chance to sit at the table and now we’ve gotta work a lot harder.
Industry Ink: CRS, Catch This Music, Nashville Rising Star Contest
/by Jessica NicholsonCRS To Present “CRS Futuri Tech Breakfast”
The session is an open breakfast discussion of the industry’s tech thought leaders. Questions such as “How will you measure your revenue and engagement success on social and mobile in 2015?” as well as “How do you know you’re ‘moving the needle’ on social and mobile in a meaningful way for your company?” will be discussed. The event will also discuss goal setting and compensation for your sellers, brand managers, and digital team.
“This session is designed to create an open forum for broadcasters and marketers to compare notes on social and mobile strategy, discuss the future of digital for country music fans, and gather new ideas for their local markets,” said CRS Executive Director, Bill Mayne.
Catch This Music Adds Audio Engineer/Catalog Manager
Jared Conrad
Catch This Music has added Jared Conrad as an audio engineer and catalog manager.
Conrad earned an associate degree in audio engineering technology as well as a Pro Tools HD10 210 operators license through Avid. He later attended Belmont University to earn a BBA degree, and interned for eight months at Catch This Music.
Nashville Rising Star Songwriting Competition Launches in March
During the final round, held April 29 at 7 p.m., four finalists will perform four songs each. The grand prize winner will be selected from a combination of industry and audience votes, and will receive $500 cash from Wild Wing Cafe, as well as other prizes from event sponsors.
For more information, visit nashvillerisingstar.com.
‘The Tonight Show’ Music Booker Jonathan Cohen To Exit
/by Troy_StephensonJonathan Cohen
Sources have confirmed that that Jonathan Cohen will be leaving his position as music booker for NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, according to Billboard.
Additionally, sources say Barbera Libis, longtime music booker for The Tonight Show during its Jay Leno years, will temporarily take over for Cohen.
He is known for his adventurous musical taste, booking tastemaking and up-and-coming artists to make their U.S. television debuts.
Artist Updates: Eric Church, Rascal Flatts, Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum
/by Jessica NicholsonEric and Katherine Church Welcome Second Son
Eric Church performs on the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 8 in Los Angeles
Photo: Kevin Winter/WireImage.com
On Sunday, Feb. 15, Eric and Katherine Church welcomed their second son Tennessee Hawkins Church into the world. He weighed in at 6 lbs. and 12 ounces and was 21 inches long. They plan to call him Hawk, and he joins older brother Boone McCoy.
“I’m thrilled that Hawk and his mom are doing well. We aren’t sleeping very much, but we are enjoying every part of this incredible journey. I’m very blessed and thankful,” said Eric.
Rascal Flatts Visits Los Angeles School to Present Donation
Rascal Flatts visited students at Miramonte Elementary School in Los Angeles Wednesday (Feb. 18) to make a surprise instrument donation and present a CMA Foundation grant to national not-for-profit Little Kids Rock. The $150,000 grant will help the program fund instrument purchases, teacher training, and other resources in public schools facing budget cuts.
CMA Foundation grants are presented on behalf of the artists who perform for free each year during the CMA Music Festival, such as 2014 performers Rascal Flatts. Since its founding in 2006, the CMA Foundation has donated more than $11 million to music education programs across the country.
Rascal Flatts (back row, L-R): Joe Don Rooney, Gary LeVox, and Jay DeMarcus visit with students at Miramonte Elementary School. Photo: Courtesy The GreenRoom PR
Brad Paisley Collaborates in Apparel Design To Aid Firefighter Fundraiser
From now until St. Patrick’s Day, t-shirts will be available for a $20 donation through more than 1,700 in-bar events held across the country and at GuinnessGivesBack.com.
Lady Antebellum Gives Instruments To Students in Welland, Ontario
Lady Antebellum recently presented the staff of Fitch Street Elementary School in Welland, ON with more than 35 new instruments for their music program. The trio partnered with Universal Nashville, Universal Canada, and friends from Little Kids Rock and the Education Foundation of Niagara to pull off the surprise. The surprise was part of the trio’s 7FOR7 initiative, which they launched for their current album, 747, when they traveled across the country, offering seven surprises to fans over the course of seven days.
Pictured (L-R): Lady A’s Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, Cindy Paskey (Education Foundation of Niagara Executive Director), and Lady A’s Dave Haywood.
Sugar Hill Records Adds Smith To Artist Roster
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (from L-R): Kendall Durkee – The Collective Office Administrator; Craig Dunn – The Collective Manager; Brinson Strickland – President of The Collective; Cliff O’Sullivan – Sugar Hill General Manager and Senior Vice President; Rachel Cunningham – The Collective Manager; Corey Smith; Megan McNair – Sugar Hill Director of Marketing and Media Relations; David Newmark – Sugar Hill Senior Director Promotion and Field Marketing; Ashley Moyer – Sugar Hill Manager of Artist and Media Relations; Shannon Blauer – Sugar Hill Manager of Marketing Administration; Cass Scripps – APA Booking Agent
Sugar Hill Records, a label known for sterling releases from artists including Lee Ann Womack, Joey + Rory, Kasey Chambers and Pat Green, has signed Georgia singer-songwriter Corey Smith to its artist roster. Smith’s forthcoming 10th album (and first for Sugar Hill), While The Gettin’ Is Good, is slated for a summer 2015 release.
Smith recorded the project at Ardent Studios (Memphis, Tenn.) and Ronnie’s Place (Nashville) with producer Keith Stegall, the producer for fellow Georgia artists including Alan Jackson and Zac Brown Band.
Smith says, “I’ve poured more blood, sweat, and tears into it, this album, than all of my other records combined. It has taken a tremendous toll on me both emotionally and financially. So I can’t stress enough how relieved and excited I am to have finally found the right label partner to release it with. In the end, it’s Sugar Hill’s high level of enthusiasm and commitment to putting the art ahead of the marketing that makes them the obvious choice. I’m grateful to call Sugar Hill home and looking forward to working with them.”
Starbucks Retail Stores To Halt CD Sales
/by Jessica Nicholson“We are always looking to evolve our offerings, based on the needs of our customers. Starbucks has curated music for more than 20 years, and music will continue to be a component of our coffeehouse experience, but we will continue to evolve in the formats that we use,” said a Starbucks representative.
The company will continue promoting digital music, as well as the curated music heard in its stores and its “Pick of the Week” program.
The chain’s foray into music sales began in 1999, after it acquired Hear Music and began stocking its more than 21,000 retail stores with physical CDs. Hear Music released albums of original songs from Paul McCartney, James Taylor, Carly Simon, and Ray Charles’ Grammy-winning final project Genius Loves Company, among many others.
Even so, Starbucks has never been a significant outlet for country music CD sales. Recent CDs that have been prominently displayed in front of registers at Starbucks counters include Taylor Swift’s pop-oriented 1989 project, the Frozen soundtrack, and the jazz compilation Blue Note Blends.
Fontanel Reveals Summer Lineup, Rebrands with Chevy and Holiday Inn
/by Eric T. ParkerCarl Black Chevy has signed on to be the name in title sponsor of the 4,500 capacity amphitheater located just 15 minutes from downtown Nashville. The venue will now be called the Carl Black Chevy Woods Amphitheater.
All shows performed at the Carl Black Chevy Woods Amphitheater this summer will be a part of the Holiday Inn® Concert Series. This sponsorship precedes additional collaboration between Fontanel and the iconic Holiday Inn brand, which will soon jointly celebrate the groundbreaking of a new hotel, The Lodge at Fontanel, a Holiday Inn Resort. This 150-room resort property is expected to open in 2017.
The first of the confirmed shows for the 2015 summer Holiday Inn Concert Series include:
John Fogerty – May 3 (on sale March 6 at 10 a.m.)
The Doobie Brothers & Jerrod Niemann – May 9 (on sale March 13 at 10 a.m.)
Lindsey Stirling – June 23 (on sale TBD)
Last Summer On Earth Tour feat. Barenaked Ladies & Violent Femmes – July 13 (on sale Feb. 27 at 10 a.m.)
Damien Rice – Aug. 16 (on sale March 6 at 12 p.m.)
“Carl Black Chevrolet is excited to not only continue but expand its partnership with one of America’s top destinations and certainly Nashville’s most unique concert venue,” said PD Sumner, Vice President for Carl Black Automotive Group. “The Carl Black Chevy Woods Amphitheatre will provide us an opportunity to take our branding initiatives to a whole new level.”
“We like to think that for musicians who live life on the road, every tour stop and performance is part of an extraordinary journey,” said Maurice Cooper, Vice President, Holiday Inn brand, the Americas, IHG. “We are proud of the role the Holiday Inn brand plays in enabling the journeys of the thousands of guests walking through our doors every day.”
“The continued growth and success at the Carl Black Chevy Woods Amphitheater would not be possible without the contributions of the community, the amazing artists who play this unique concert setting, and all our supporting sponsors,” said Ali Harnell, Senior Vice President for AEG Live. “We are excited to expand the relationship with Carl Black Chevy, and are happy to welcome the Holiday Inn brand into the family.”
Additional shows for the Holiday Inn Concert Series at the Carl Black Chevy Woods Amphitheater will be announced in the upcoming weeks. To purchase tickets, please visit woodsamphitheater.com.
Weekly Chart Report (2/20/15)
/by Troy_StephensonClick here or above to access MusicRow‘s weekly CountryBreakout Report
‘Moonshine’ Musical Puts New Spin On A Television Classic
/by Jessica NicholsonBrandy Clark. Photo: David McClister
“Forget any preconceived notions you may have, because it’s not like anything you’ve seen,” says Grammy-nominated artist and songwriter Brandy Clark, who teamed with fellow award-winning songwriter Shane McAnally to craft the music for the upcoming theater production Moonshine: That Hee Haw Musical.
Moonshine’s irreverent, humorous love story is loosely based on the long-running television variety show Hee Haw, but don’t expect a straightforward theatrical re-creation of beloved sketches such as “KORN News,” “Stringbean’s Letter From Home,” or “The Haystack.” Instead, Moonshine introduces an array of new characters, including Misty Mae, a young dreamer who leaves her quotidian life in Kornfield Kounty for excitement in Tampa, Fla.
“It’s like they are the grandchildren of the original cast, is how I would put it,” Clark says. “It’s a love story set in Kornfield Kounty, but other than that there’s not a lot from the show. Our opening number is currently called ‘Hee Haw,’ and [script writer] Robert Horn’s comedy style is pretty similar to what was on Hee Haw, but that’s where the similarities end. That’s part of why the name has been changed to Moonshine: That Hee Haw Musical.”
Steve Buchanan
Opry Entertainment’s Steve Buchanan concurs. “Hee Haw was a variety show, and what we decided to do was try to really capture the essence of the humor that was very much a part of the show.”
Moonshine, which has been in development for several years under the guidance of Buchanan and Opry colleague Sally Williams, will premiere at the regional Dallas Theater Center on Sept. 2, 2015, and run through Oct. 11, 2015.
“We looked at different cities where there is an active theater community, with organizations that are involved in the development process,” Buchanan explains. “Dallas Theater Center came to our last reading in New York and were very interested in being part of this. It made sense to us and we think they will be a great partner.”
For nearly two years, Clark and McAnally used their regular weekly writing appointments to write and revise songs. Clark estimates they composed 30 songs for the musical, with nearly 20 making the final cut.
Shane McAnally
“We are used to summing the story up in three minutes. In musicals, you are telling little bits of the story at a time, which is really fun to not have to tell the whole story in one song,” Clark expounds on the duo’s approach to writing for theater. “We are used to loose rhymes and they like perfect rhymes in the theater world. Ours aren’t all perfect, but there’s a higher bar as far as that is concerned. The storyline has changed, too, and each time the story changes, the songs have to change. That’s a great challenge. I’ve definitely grown from it and I would say Shane has too.”
Rounding out the creative team is Fox Theatricals, along with director Gary Griffin, choreographer Denis Jones, costume designer Mara Blumenfeld, scenic designer John Lee Beatty, casting from Tara Rubin, musical supervisor Stephen Oremus, and executive producer Nina Lannan.
Rehearsals for Moonshine: That Hee Haw Musical will begin this summer in preparation for the Dallas Theater Center debut, though Buchanan has set his sights on ultimately bringing the production to an even more prestigious stage. “We are doing Dallas as the regional development production, then the goal is to go to New York,” says Buchanan, who notes that an eventual Nashville run of performances isn’t out of the question. “Our goal is to be on Broadway, and obviously then to have a long life as a touring production.
“Ultimately, I felt like we wanted to create something fun and fanciful, with amazing music. I felt if we were telling a story and we could create an American musical, it would have sustaining power. “
For now, the focus is on fine-tuning the storyline, the songs, and the performances in hope of a successful Dallas premiere and bringing the essence of a much-loved television classic to The Great White Way.
“We’ve been in a vacuum, writing and revising, but it’s like an industry showcase. You are showing your work to industry members and I don’t think that’s ever a true test of a play,” Clark says, “so I’m excited to see it in front of people who are buying tickets to be there. Broadway would be a dream come true.”