Stephanie Holzer
has been promoted from department coordinator to Team WEA’s Regional Promotion Manager/Southwest. Holzer graduated with a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Vanderbilt University. She begins her new role in January 2015, and will relocate to Texas in mid-2015.
Holzer can be reached at
stephanie.holzer@wmg.com or at 615-214-1477.
A replacement for the coordinator role will be announced soon.
• • •
On Tuesday, Nov. 18, Bobby Bones and The Raging Idiots played a special charity concert to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Entertainer Jason Aldean crashed the show held at Marathon Music Works in Nashville, helping raise more than $60,000 for the hospital. In addition, Country music singer/songwriter/guitarist Lindsay Ell performed with The Raging Idiots, and St. Jude patient Caleb served as guest announcer for the evening.
Bobby Bones and Jason Aldean on stage.
• • •
Rocker Jim Peterik (Ides of March/Survivor) celebrated the release of his new book Through the Eye of the Tiger at Leadership Music’s Learning Network Wednesday night (Nov. 19) at the First Amendment Center.
The celebration was a join event with Copyright Society of the South. Peterik, who performed his self-penned classics, “Vehicle,” “The Search is Over” and “Eye of the Tiger,” was joined at one point by special guest, Kelly Keaggy, frontman of Night Ranger.
Peterik will be signing copies of his book tonight (Friday, Nov. 21) at Nashville’s Two Old Hippies, beginning at 6 p.m.
Pictured (L-R): Leadership Music Executive Director, Debbie Linn, Peterik, LM President Diane Pearson, LM’s Judi Turner and Sherrill Blackman, who interviewed Peterik.
• • •
ASCAP Amped will present a two-hour performance on Dec. 2 from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at Nashville’s 3rd & Lindsley. The show will feature Chris Cavanaugh, Kalisa Ewing, and David Ray.
CMA Songwriters Series To Tape Four TV Events
/by Eric T. ParkerSara Evans and Martina McBride will take the stage on Monday, Dec. 1 (6:30 PM/CT), followed by a performance by Hunter Hayes (9:30 PM/CT). Little Big Town will open the performances on Tuesday, Dec. 2 (6:30 PM/CT), followed by Bob DiPiero and Friends: Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally, and Charlie Worsham (9:30 PM/CT).
“CMA is extremely proud of our songwriters and their many contributions to the success of Country Music,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “And we are thrilled to partner with ‘Front and Center’ again to shine a national spotlight on this important segment of our industry. It’s great knowing that we have a partner who truly appreciates the talent of Nashville’s creative community.”
“The reaction that we received as a result of our partnership with the CMA, and subsequently from the shows that we aired with Lady Antebellum and Dierks Bentley, was overwhelming,” said “Front and Center” Executive Producer Don Maggi. “The acceptance that ’Front and Center’ has received from the Nashville music community, and its fans, left no question that we should do even more for the forthcoming Spring season.”
Citi cardmembers currently have access to purchase tickets to these shows through its Private Pass program.
“Front and Center” launched in the spring of 2012 as an original one hour, commercial-free, all-music series, airing nationwide on public television, distributed by American Public Television. Last season “Front and Center” announced its partnership with CMA and taped two shows: Lady Antebellum and a special 10th Anniversary Celebration of the CMA Songwriters Series with Dierks Bentley. The episodes premiered last month as part of The 48th Annual CMA Awards celebration and will continue to air through the end of the year.
All episodes are directed by Pierre and François Lamoureux of FogoLabs.
Rhett Akins Celebrates Award-Winning Year With Nashville Party
/by Jessica Nicholson2014 BMI Writer of the Year Rhett Akins, along with family, friends and industry members, gathered in Nashville Tuesday evening (Nov. 18) to celebrate the songwriter’s award-winning year. Sony/ATV’s Troy Tomlinson told the crowd he was not only proud to work with such a talented songwriter, but better yet such an overwhelmingly well-liked person in the Nashville music community
Artists attending included Chase Rice, Tyler Farr, Cole Swindell, Chris Young, and more. Some of the top tier writers in attendance included Luke Laird, Craig Wiseman, Bobby Pinson, Jeremy Stover, Lee Miller, Jim Beavers and Chris Janson.
Pictured (L-R): Pam Akins (Mom), Akins, Thomas Rhett (son), with wife Lauren
Pictured (L-R): Sony/ATV’s Tom Luteran, Chris DeStefano, Akins, Rhett, Chase Rice, SATV’s Josh Van Valkenburg
Akins looks at his plaque
The Sony/ATV team led by Troy Tomlinson celebrate with Akins
Pictured (L-R): SATV’s Terry Wakefield, Rhett Akins, Cole Swindell.
Meghan Trainor Scores Again With New Single
/by Sherod RobertsonTrainor’s official video of her new single, “Lips Are Movin,” went live this Wednesday (Nov. 19) and has already reached an impressive 2.5 million views in the first 48 hours. And with its lyric video already grabbing 8 million views since Oct. 21, Trainor’s follow-up release to her smash No. 1 hit, “All About That Bass,” has cemented her with another bonafide hit.
Written by Trainor and Kevin Kadish, the song was released to radio on Oct. 21, 2014 through Epic Records, and has already jumped to No. 38 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song is from Trainor’s upcoming album, Title, slated for a Jan. 13, 2015 release.
Click here for video.
Artist Updates: Tracy Lawrence, Miranda Lambert, Oak Ridge Boys
/by Jessica NicholsonTracy Lawrence
Tracy Lawrence is set to again host his annual “Mission Possible” Turkey Fry, benefiting the Nashville Rescue Mission. This year’s turkey fry will take place Tuesday, Nov. 25 from 8 p.m. until 5 p.m. in Nashville Rescue Mission’s parking lot, located at 639 Lafayette Street in Nashville. The event is free and open to the public.
Launched in 2006, turkey fry has brought in close to 8,000 turkeys and provided more than 50,000 meals.
• • •
Miranda Lambert helped raise nearly $66,000 for her animal rescue operation, the MuttNation Foundation, recently by auctioning off items including a customized Ram Laramie Longhorn truck, which went for $54,901. Other items, which brought in nearly $11,000, included signed copies of Lambert’s Platinum CD, signed guitars and tickets to one of Miranda Lambert’s concerts in 2015, including a pre-show cocktail with her.
The auction is just one step in an ongoing relationship between Lambert and Ram Trucks that will continue to grow in 2015.
MIranda Lambert with the Ram truck that was auctioned off.
• • •
Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys will launch the 25th year of their annual holiday tour, Christmas Night Out Tour, tonight (Friday, Nov. 21) at the Golden Nugget in Biloxi, Miss. The tour will visit 23 cities in 11 states. The show features 40 minutes of classic Oak Ridge Boys hits and a 75-minute Christmas show. For more information, visit oakridgeboys.com.
CMT And NCAA College Football Playoffs Partner For Live Concert
/by Troy_StephensonClockwise From Left: Toby Keith, Lady Antebellum, Brett Eldredge, Big & Rich
The NCAA Football Championship weekend will now include a live 90-minute concert named “CMT’s Ultimate Kickoff Party.” The television special will take place at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas. The premiere is set for Friday, Jan. 9, 2015 at 9 p.m./Eastern on CMT. Scheduled to perform are Toby Keith, Lady Antebellum, Brett Eldredge, Big & Rich and more to be announced.
The concert special marks a first-time partnership with CMT and College Football Playoff and is the kickoff entertainment event at the national championship playoff weekend.
The inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship is on Jan. 12, 2015, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Industry Ink: Team WEA, Jason Aldean, Leadership Music, ASCAP
/by Jessica NicholsonStephanie Holzer
Stephanie Holzer has been promoted from department coordinator to Team WEA’s Regional Promotion Manager/Southwest. Holzer graduated with a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Vanderbilt University. She begins her new role in January 2015, and will relocate to Texas in mid-2015.
Holzer can be reached at stephanie.holzer@wmg.com or at 615-214-1477.
A replacement for the coordinator role will be announced soon.
• • •
On Tuesday, Nov. 18, Bobby Bones and The Raging Idiots played a special charity concert to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Entertainer Jason Aldean crashed the show held at Marathon Music Works in Nashville, helping raise more than $60,000 for the hospital. In addition, Country music singer/songwriter/guitarist Lindsay Ell performed with The Raging Idiots, and St. Jude patient Caleb served as guest announcer for the evening.
Bobby Bones and Jason Aldean on stage.
• • •
Rocker Jim Peterik (Ides of March/Survivor) celebrated the release of his new book Through the Eye of the Tiger at Leadership Music’s Learning Network Wednesday night (Nov. 19) at the First Amendment Center.
The celebration was a join event with Copyright Society of the South. Peterik, who performed his self-penned classics, “Vehicle,” “The Search is Over” and “Eye of the Tiger,” was joined at one point by special guest, Kelly Keaggy, frontman of Night Ranger.
Peterik will be signing copies of his book tonight (Friday, Nov. 21) at Nashville’s Two Old Hippies, beginning at 6 p.m.
Pictured (L-R): Leadership Music Executive Director, Debbie Linn, Peterik, LM President Diane Pearson, LM’s Judi Turner and Sherrill Blackman, who interviewed Peterik.
• • •
Suzanne Gordon To Exit Great American Country
/by Sherod RobertsonSuzanne Gordon
Great American Country Vice President of Programming Suzanne Gordon has announced she is leaving the cable network at the end of the year to pursue other opportunities. A television veteran with over 30 years of experience in the broadcasting, syndication, and cable television business, she has overseen all aspects of original commissioned productions and acquisitions for the network.
Gordon shares, “I’ve had a great run the last eight years at GAC, and I am so proud of the many concerts, documentaries, red carpets, and new artist specials we’ve produced. I’m grateful for the many long-lasting relationships I have made, and although I have enjoyed working for such a strong national brand, I am excited to be starting a new chapter in my career.”
Her production and director credits include a large variety of projects from talk shows to documentaries to music specials for cable and syndication including PBS, The Nashville Network, Opry Live, Shop At Home Network, Film House, and many more.
After the end of the year, she can be reached at suzanne.gordon@comcast.net or (615) 585-8800.
Hub International Insurance Launches Entertainment Practice
/by Jessica Nicholson“We are the only broker in North America that brings together deep expertise in each of these eight entertainment specialties, and has the geographic footprint of over 300 office locations around the world,” said Andrew Forchelli, President of Hub’s Entertainment Industry Solutions. “This combination allows us to meet the needs of our entertainment clients regardless of what they’re doing or where they’re doing it.”
The company’s specialty in music and touring includes coverage for entertainers, festivals, promoters, and suppliers. Venues coverage includes performance venues for live audiences, while contingency coverage includes event cancellation and non-appearance.
Hub’s Entertainment practice has offices in Nashville, Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, Miami and Toronto. The practice will also support the 300+ Hub offices throughout North America to serve the needs of local productions, venues and on-location opportunities and deliver a combination of localized service and national entertainment expertise.
Hub International’s Nashville-area office is located at 783 Old Hickory Blvd, Ste. 351, Brentwood, TN 37027 and by calling 615-630-7625.
Weekly Chart Report (11/21/14)
/by Troy_StephensonClick here or above to access MusicRow‘s weekly CountryBreakout Report
CMA Presents Music Discovery Research Findings
/by Jessica NicholsonCMA Senior Director of Market Research Karen Stump (far right) presents consumer music discovery research to CMA members during the annual membership meeting Thursday in Nashville. Photo: Christian Bottorff / CMA
The Country Music Association presented its Music Discovery Research findings, regarding music discovery behaviors among music fans, to CMA members recently during the annual membership meeting in Nashville.
The study also sought to identify top music discovery sources and their impact on music purchasing.
“An important part of our mission as the trade association for the format is to provide meaningful research and tools to help our constituents advance their business interests by gaining a better understanding of the general music consumer as well as the core Country fan,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “The annual membership meeting was the perfect platform to present these important findings directly to our stakeholders in the industry.”
Research was conducted among 1,600 Adults 18+ who had “discovered” a new song within a seven-day period around the research field dates (July 22–31). The reported findings represent consumer actions that occurred within the same seven-day window.
Among the key findings presented by Karen Stump, CMA Senior Director of Market Research: