BOBBY KARL WORKS THE ROOM
Chapter 476
Pictured (L-R): Tim Corbin, Rob Beckham, Charlie Daniels, Demetria Kalodimos, Michael W. Smith, Gov. Bill Haslam. Photo: Jason Davis / Getty Images for NATD
All intimate music-industry galas should be held at the elegantly gorgeous Hermitage Hotel.
“Welcome to the beautiful NATD living room, for the evening,” greeted Nashville Association of Talent Directors president
Steve Tolman. The 50-year-old organization staged its fourth annual Honors Banquet at the Hermitage on Tuesday night (Nov. 11).
The hotel is a landmark, beaux-arts architectural monument, opened in 1910. The NATD’s cocktail hour was held in the building’s opulent lobby. Awesome, two-story, light-blue archways embellished with polychromed medallions support the stained-glass ceiling. Heavy brocade drapes and tapestry wall hangings are staged between veined white marble columns.
The ballroom hosted dinner for 150. The gold-and-white coffered ceiling panels soar above chocolate-toned wood walls with hand-carved accents. These are hung with portraits of Tennessee-bred U.S. presidents Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk and Andrew Johnson as well as with sublime landscape oils. The room’s stunning, antique-bronze chandeliers with multiple teardrop-glass globes are beyond sumptuous.
This year’s honorees were
Gov. Bill Haslam, pop/CCM star
Michael W. Smith, WSMV news anchor and filmmaker
Demetria Kalodimos, Vanderbilt baseball coach
Tim Corbin, manager and producer
J. P. Williams, William Morris Endeavors honcho
Rob Beckham and country, rock and Opry star
Charlie Daniels. WKRN’s
Stephanie Langston hosted.
“I’m too young to get this,” protested Beckham before the banquet. “Yes, you are,” I agreed. He is, however, more than deserving. Beckham recalled coming from the world of rock promotion in the Pacific Northwest. His first country concert as a promoter was Randy Travis, followed by The Judds and Reba McEntire. They all sold out. So he stuck around.
“We are living the dream,” said Michael W. Smith. He recalled working as a waiter and for Coca-Cola before Amy Grant hired him for her band and changed his life forever.
Chaz Corzine, Greg Ham and
John Huie presented his honor.
Kalodimos got her statuette from venerable Country Music Hall of Fame member
Jimmy Dickens, who turns 93 next month. “It doesn’t get any better than this,” she said.
Bebe Evans presented Charlie Daniels with his award.
C.T. Wyatt did the honors for J.P. Williams.
Chip Esten, ”Deacon” on TV’s Nashville, saluted Haslam.
“I have made this my home,” said Esten. “My family moved here one-and-a-half years ago. And we sold our home in L.A. last week. We [the show’s cast] are fans not only of the city of Nashville, but of the whole state….I appreciate the support of the Governor so much.”
“My kids are totally unimpressed that I am the governor,” said Haslam. “But they are totally impressed with the fact that I know Chip…The people in this room make our job easier,” he added, referring to the fact that the glamor of the entertainment industry helps lure other businesses to the state.
Industry mavens working the room included
Ray Shelide, Bonnie Sugarman, Paula Szeigis, Dean Unkefer, Randi Perkins with
The Voice TV contestant and niece
Kat Perkins, Rod Essig, Bob Romeo, Kate Richardson, Preshus Tomes, Debbie Moore & Carrie Moore-Reed (that’s twin singing sisters
Moore & Moore, to you)
, Ree Guyer Buchanan, Tinti Moffatt, David & Carolyn Corlew, Verlon Thompson (who is working on a new solo album),
Steve Lassiter, Holly Ashby, Kirt Webster and the
Rev. Joseph Patrick Breen, who delivered the Veterans-Day themed invocation.
NATD founding member
Tandy Rice, who was kidded for looking like Santa Claus, was named the first inductee into the organization’s Hall of Fame.
Ready Set Records Adds Folk Duo Elenowen
/by Troy_StephensonElenowen
Husband-and-Wife folk duo Elenowen has joined the esteemed roster of Ready Set Records. The duo is set to release a new record in January 2015 and will begin a tour this Sunday (November 16) in Decatur, GA.
They were featured on the inaugural season of NBC’s The Voice and released their debut album, Pulling Back The Veil in 2010. Their music has been featured on TV shows including Pretty Little Liars, One Tree Hill and Army Wives.
Recently named one of “9 record labels you should know about” by Nashville Lifestyles, Ready Set Records is the home to critically acclaimed group Ten Out Of Tenn and successful indie artists such as Trent Dabbs, Sugar & The Hi-Lows and Young Summer.
“Our vision for Ready Set is to create an artist friendly label that focuses on fostering independent musicians,” says Kristen Dabbs, Co-Owner of Ready Set Records. “We are excited to bring Elenowen into the family. We’ve always been fans of Josh and Nicole’s music and cannot wait for everyone to hear their incredible new album. It’s an honor for all of us a Ready Set to get to be a part of it!”
Bobby Karl Works The NATD Honors Banquet
/by Bobby KarlBOBBY KARL WORKS THE ROOM
Chapter 476
Pictured (L-R): Tim Corbin, Rob Beckham, Charlie Daniels, Demetria Kalodimos, Michael W. Smith, Gov. Bill Haslam. Photo: Jason Davis / Getty Images for NATD
All intimate music-industry galas should be held at the elegantly gorgeous Hermitage Hotel.
“Welcome to the beautiful NATD living room, for the evening,” greeted Nashville Association of Talent Directors president Steve Tolman. The 50-year-old organization staged its fourth annual Honors Banquet at the Hermitage on Tuesday night (Nov. 11).
The hotel is a landmark, beaux-arts architectural monument, opened in 1910. The NATD’s cocktail hour was held in the building’s opulent lobby. Awesome, two-story, light-blue archways embellished with polychromed medallions support the stained-glass ceiling. Heavy brocade drapes and tapestry wall hangings are staged between veined white marble columns.
The ballroom hosted dinner for 150. The gold-and-white coffered ceiling panels soar above chocolate-toned wood walls with hand-carved accents. These are hung with portraits of Tennessee-bred U.S. presidents Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk and Andrew Johnson as well as with sublime landscape oils. The room’s stunning, antique-bronze chandeliers with multiple teardrop-glass globes are beyond sumptuous.
This year’s honorees were Gov. Bill Haslam, pop/CCM star Michael W. Smith, WSMV news anchor and filmmaker Demetria Kalodimos, Vanderbilt baseball coach Tim Corbin, manager and producer J. P. Williams, William Morris Endeavors honcho Rob Beckham and country, rock and Opry star Charlie Daniels. WKRN’s Stephanie Langston hosted.
“I’m too young to get this,” protested Beckham before the banquet. “Yes, you are,” I agreed. He is, however, more than deserving. Beckham recalled coming from the world of rock promotion in the Pacific Northwest. His first country concert as a promoter was Randy Travis, followed by The Judds and Reba McEntire. They all sold out. So he stuck around.
“We are living the dream,” said Michael W. Smith. He recalled working as a waiter and for Coca-Cola before Amy Grant hired him for her band and changed his life forever. Chaz Corzine, Greg Ham and John Huie presented his honor.
Kalodimos got her statuette from venerable Country Music Hall of Fame member Jimmy Dickens, who turns 93 next month. “It doesn’t get any better than this,” she said.
Bebe Evans presented Charlie Daniels with his award. C.T. Wyatt did the honors for J.P. Williams. Chip Esten, ”Deacon” on TV’s Nashville, saluted Haslam.
“I have made this my home,” said Esten. “My family moved here one-and-a-half years ago. And we sold our home in L.A. last week. We [the show’s cast] are fans not only of the city of Nashville, but of the whole state….I appreciate the support of the Governor so much.”
“My kids are totally unimpressed that I am the governor,” said Haslam. “But they are totally impressed with the fact that I know Chip…The people in this room make our job easier,” he added, referring to the fact that the glamor of the entertainment industry helps lure other businesses to the state.
Industry mavens working the room included Ray Shelide, Bonnie Sugarman, Paula Szeigis, Dean Unkefer, Randi Perkins with The Voice TV contestant and niece Kat Perkins, Rod Essig, Bob Romeo, Kate Richardson, Preshus Tomes, Debbie Moore & Carrie Moore-Reed (that’s twin singing sisters Moore & Moore, to you), Ree Guyer Buchanan, Tinti Moffatt, David & Carolyn Corlew, Verlon Thompson (who is working on a new solo album), Steve Lassiter, Holly Ashby, Kirt Webster and the Rev. Joseph Patrick Breen, who delivered the Veterans-Day themed invocation.
NATD founding member Tandy Rice, who was kidded for looking like Santa Claus, was named the first inductee into the organization’s Hall of Fame.
ole Hosts Fiesta, CMA Viewing Party
/by Sarah SkatesPictured (L-R): Gilles Godard, ole VP of Business Development; Tim Nichols, THiS Music Publishing Songwriter/Partner; Rusty Gaston, THiS Music Publishing GM/Partner; and Jody Williams, BMI VP of Writer/Publisher Relations in Nashville
The 3rd Annual ole Fiesta took place last week at the publishing company’s Nashville office. The event on Thurs., Nov. 6, the day after the CMA Awards, served as an opportunity for executives on Music Row to come together for lunch during the hectic awards week.
Pictured (L-R): Ben Strain, ole Creative Director; Gilles Godard, ole VP of Business Development; Jody Williams, BMI VP of Writer/Publisher Relations in Nashville; Josh Dorr, ole songwriter and RCA artist; and John Ozier, ole GM of Creative in Nashville
ole also hosted a lively CMA Awards viewing party, packing the house at One at Cannery Row. The Canada-based company is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, which it marked on Oct. 24, with a star-studded, tribute-filled party at the Fermenting Cellar in the historic Distillery District of Toronto.
CMA Awards viewing party in Nashville. Pictured (L-R): Jeremy Stover, Robert Ott, Jordan Rager, John Ozier, Gilles Godard
Star Studded Benefit Concert for Robin Majors Tonight in Nashville
/by Troy_StephensonJake Owen is confirmed to play the free concert tonight, along with a list of other stars. “Headline Country” host and SiriusXM personality Storme Warren will emcee the event, and an incredible band including Wyatt Beard, Clayton Feibusch, Jon Conley, Sean Paddock and Kenny Greenberg will back The Outlaws, Paulette Carlson from Highway 101, John Berry, Mark Collie, Wade Hayes, Ray Scott and more. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged.
A silent auction will be held during the concert, and a $4,000 guitar donated by Takamine will be offered to the highest bidder.
For those unable to make it to the benefit concert, there are two ways to make donations. Straight into the Robin Majors Gift of Life Fund, through Wells Fargo Private Bank, 3100 West End Ave, Ste 550, Nashville, TN, 37203. Attn: Danielle Bouharoun. Donations can be made online here.
Nashville Music Hotspots Included in Top 100 "Most Buzzed About" Venues
/by Jessica NicholsonPhoto courtesy Eventbrite
Several Nashville venues are among the “most buzzed about” venues. Eventbrite and Mashworks gathered 12.5 million social media conversations across Twitter, Facebook, blogs and forums for more than 600 venues, from Aug. 1, 2013, through July 31, 2014.
Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry ranked as the 11th most talked about U.S. venue on social media, just behind NYC’s Pacha. The list’s Top 10 was primarily filled with EDM-related music clubs.
Other Nashville venues making the Top 100 include the Ryman Auditorium (No. 52 on the list), CMA Theatre (No. 59), and Mercy Lounge (No. 79).
Forty-three percent of the conversations surrounding these venues came from millennials, aged 18 to 34.
Other findings from the research:
* Millennials tend to talk about their experiences on the weekends and on Mondays. More than half of the venue conversations occurred on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Monday was the third most-popular day of the week for social media postings, with millennials talking about their weekend experiences.
* Posts from millennials include a picture, video or link 30 percent of the time. Millennials are most likely to include a picture, video, or link when engaging in conversation about fashion, events, and artists.
* Image and status were primary concerns in 34 percent of the conversations. Nineteen percent of posts centered on portraying a party lifestyle, while 15 percent of the conversations centered on fashion.
Owen, Swindell, Rice Join Chesney's The Big Revival Tour
/by Kelsey_GradyPictured (L-R): Chase Rice, Cole Swindell, Jake Owen
Kenny Chesney has always brought acts he’s believed in out on the road. His 2015 The Big Revival Tour is no different as Chesney brings on labelmate Jake Owen, MusicRow‘s 2014 Breakthrough Songwriter winner Cole Swindell, and Chase Rice for what will be one of the summer’s best parties.
“When I came to town, I was a writer, trying to get my songs cut – and playing on a stool down on Lower Broadway,” Chesney says. “I didn’t have nearly the success Cole and Chase are enjoying right now, but I know the difference getting your music in front of an audience makes. For both of these guys, who have a lot of energy and a real way of grabbing people, I think it’s the perfect way to get the audience fired up for the show.”
Kenny Chesney’s The Big Revival Tour is presented by Corona Light.
Gibson Brands to Take Over Legendary Tower Records Sunset Strip Location
/by Jessica NicholsonThe Tower Records retail store chain began in 1960 in Sacramento. A decade later, it had become a power player in the music retail market. In 1971, the location at 8801 Sunset Blvd was built; the location would become a popular place for artists including John Lennon, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, and the many others who visited and performed there.
By the 1990s, Tower Records had 213 stores worldwide. The music chain closed its doors in the United States in 2006.
“Gibson Brands and Tower Records have both always been about the music,” commented Chairman and CEO of Gibson Brands Henry Juszkiewicz. “We want to reinvent this site to be the international phenomenon that its legacy deserves. Gibson Brands is dedicated to innovation, prestige and improving the quality of life and music for its customers. Our goal is to provide the most exceptional customer audio products and experiences in the world.”
Gibson Brands is home to more than 100 instrument, electronics and audio brands, including the guitar brand Gibson. Other brands include Epiphone, Dobro, Valley Arts, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Slingerland, Maestro, Baldwin, Hamilton, Chickering and Wurlitzer. In professional audio, KRK Systems, TASCAM, Cerwin-Vega, Stanton, and Cakewalk also continue Gibson’s tradition of quality in their respective markets. Consumer electronics brands include Onkyo, Integra, TEAC, and Esoteric.
Industry Ink: BMLG, Oswald Entertainment's Cole Johnstone, The Recording Academy
/by Jessica NicholsonSeveral Big Machine Label Group employees are taking part in No Shave November. Throughout the month, they will ditch their razors and let their beards grow, in order to bring awareness for the research and treatment for diseases in children. BMLG’s Beards For My Horses efforts will be donated to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Last year, the team raised more than $16,000. Contributions can be made here.
Staff members recently gathered at the start of the challenge to show off their clean-shaven faces.
Pictured (L-R): Andrew Thoen, Dave Kelly, George Briner, Jim Weatherson, Andrew Kautz, Macklin Andrick, Chris Stacey, Kris Lamb, Alex Heddle, Garrett Hill and Stephen Brady. Not Pictured: Erik Powell, Michael Sloane, Alex Valentine, Julian Raymond and Allan Geiger
• • •
Cole Johnstone
Oswald Entertainment partner Cole Johnstone, day-to-day manager for Big & Rich, B&R Records, John Rich, Big Kenny and The Farm, has exited after five years and is seeking his next opportunity.
Johnstone’s previous day-to-day management clients with Marc Oswald and Dale Morris included Randy Owen, Krista Marie, as well as marketing/web efforts for Fontanel Resorts and The Deadwood Mountain Grand Casino & Hotel.
Austin Neal, who joined Oswald Entertainment in June, has assumed day-to-day responsibilities for Big & Rich and The Farm.
Johnstone can be reached at colejohnstone@gmail.com.
• • •
Formerly referred to as the Grammy Awards Pre-Telecast Ceremony, the event presents the first Grammy Awards of the day in approximately 70-73 categories, and is streamed live internationally at grammy.com.
Scott Borchetta, Daniel Ek Weigh In On Spotify Debate
/by Sarah SkatesToday (Nov. 11), Spotify CEO Daniel Ek responded with a blog post. Here is an excerpt:
Ek is correct that recording artists are not paid by radio, unless they or their labels have entered into other revenue sharing agreements with radio corporations, such as the ones pioneered by Big Machine Label Group Pres. and CEO Scott Borchetta. It is worth noting that songwriters are paid for plays on terrestrial radio.
Borchetta visited the national radio program Sixx Sense with Nikki Sixx and discussed pulling Swift’s music from Spotify. The full interview is available here. An excerpt is below:
Meanwhile, Nashville techie Jay Frank has posted a new blog called “Understanding Spotify.”
Read more about legislation which seeks a higher royalty for digital music services in MusicRow’s Publisher Issue, which includes an interview with NSAI’s Bart Herbison.
Scooter Carusoe Re-Signs With Carnival Music
/by Jessica NicholsonCarusoe co-wrote Brett Eldredge‘s hit song “Mean To Me,” and has co-penned chart-toppers including “Anything But Mine” and “Better As A Memory” (both recorded by Kenny Chesney).
He has also penned several songs for David Nail‘s albums I’m About to Come Alive, The Sound of a Million Dreams, and I’m A Fire, as well songs for Eli Young Band (“Guinevere”), Uncle Kracker (“Blue Skies”), and Casey James (“The Good Life”), among others.
“Writers, songs, and publishers don’t find their way to success by chance,” Carusoe says. “It is a collaborative effort that requires belief on all sides. That’s what I’ve found in my relationship with Carnival. We believe in a common goal, achieved by a unique sound.”
“Scooter is exactly the kind of writer Carnival exists to champion: brilliant, stubborn, and in constant pursuit of a sound that is entirely his own,” says Frank Liddell, Carnival Music Co-founder & Owner. “He’s a favorite writer of mine—I’d listen to him no matter who published his songs. But I couldn’t be prouder that it’s us.”
Born in North Carolina and raised in Knoxville, Tenn., Carusoe lives in Nashville with his wife and two sons.