NEWS - Page 3085 of 4473

IBMA Executive Director Cardwell Tenders Resignation

October 13, 2014/by Jessica Nicholson

Nancy Cardwell

Nancy Cardwell, executive director of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), has tendered her resignation with the organization, effective December 31, 2014. Cardwell has held the position of executive director at IBMA for the past two and a half years, and has worked at the organization for 20 years.
In a letter to members of the organization, Cardwell said, “When I agreed to take the interim ED position March 5, 2012—and later in August 2012 when I was asked to take on the full-time position, I let the IBMA Board of Directors know I intended to stay three to five years, to help the organization get through what I perceived as a crucially important transitional process following the tenure of longtime director Dan Hays… Bluegrass music is about passing tunes from one generation to another, and it’s also about passing leadership roles along to the next person on the industry side. Twenty years is a long time to do anything, and I know 2015 is the right time for me to pass the torch to the next executive director of IBMA.”
During her tenure as executive director, Cardwell oversaw the move of IBMA’s World of Bluegrass from Nashville to Raleigh, N.C. She also oversaw the establishment of a Nashville office in the Berry Hill area, a rise in IBMA membership, and more.
“When the Board began its search for an Executive Director to replace Dan Hays, we knew it was important to find one who was both familiar with and familiar to our members and our industry, as we moved forward in our efforts to build an IBMA capable of playing a leadership role in the industry for many years to come,” said Jon Weisberger, IBMA Board chair. “During Nancy’s tenure, we have made significant strides in doing so, and her devotion to the IBMA, to its members, to bluegrass music and to the bluegrass community have been indispensible assets. I am confident that the Board will find a successor capable of meeting the challenges that still lie before us, but I am equally confident that the value of the contribution she has made will be felt for many years to come. We wish her success in whatever she chooses to do next, and on a personal note, I hope that I can continue to count on her counsel and knowledge for as long as I serve as Chair of the Board of Directors.”
Cardwell added in her letter: “It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve IBMA for 20 years, and to get to know and appreciate so many of you. I’m proud of what the organization has accomplished so far, and I’m excited about the future of both IBMA and bluegrass music. I appreciate what I’ve learned from each of you, the music and the stories, and most of all, your friendship.”
The organization will begin its search for a new executive director in the coming weeks.

Ben Folds Joins the Yamaha Artist Family

October 10, 2014/by Troy_Stephenson

Ben Folds

Yamaha Entertainment Group announced the addition of singer, songwriter and producer Ben Folds to the global family of Yamaha Piano Artists. Yamaha will support and help serve the needs of Folds, who plays a variety of Yamaha Acoustic Grand Pianos, on tour, in the studio and at appearances with piano logistics, promotion and collaboration.
“Yamaha builds some of the finest pianos on the market, and I’ve found their artist support to be unparalleled,” said Folds. “It’s a privilege to be part of the global Yamaha family.”
“Not only is Ben Folds such an incredibly talented artist and inspiration to so many musicians, he’s a tireless ambassador for music education and music therapy,” said Chris Gero, founder and vice president, Yamaha Entertainment Group. “We look forward to supporting Ben as a Yamaha Artist. His experience and dedication will help further Yamaha’s commitment to the performing arts and educational community.”
Folds, a Nashville resident and a member of the Board of Directors of the Nashville Symphony, has composed an acclaimed 25-minute, three movement concerto for piano and orchestra, which he debuted with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in March 2014.
A member of the Artist Committee for Americans for the Arts, Folds is an outspoken advocate for music therapy and music education. He has participated in workshops and lobbied Congress for arts funding.
Yamaha Entertainment Group works with a roster of international music stars to promote music awareness and education, as well as underscore the breadth and quality of the Yamaha brand.

Upcoming Events: CTM, Sheryl Crow, ASCAP DIY

October 10, 2014/by Eric T. Parker

CTM’s Writer’s Ink will host a writers round at the Music City Tippler on Thursday, Oct. 16 at 8 p.m.
Marcus Hummon, Autumn McEntire, Chris Roberts and Jared Mitchell are slated to perform alongside “special guests.”

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Sheryl Crow will speak at the Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music as part of the popular Conversations Series on Tuesday, Nov. 4. The event is free and open to the public in the Ingram Hall at the Blair School of Music. Seating is first-come, first-served.
Senior Lecturer Jen Gunderman will conduct an informal on-stage conversation with the singer at 8 p.m., followed by a Q&A session with the audience. Gunderman has been on leave from the university for the past year and a half touring with Crow as a keyboard, accordion and background singer. The Conversations Series first launched in 1995, when Jim Foglesong interviewed guitar legend Chet Atkins.

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Director of ASCAP’s business and membership affairs, Alex Grout, is preparing a seminar on Oct. 14 detailing streaming music services and translating the legal rights and permissions for Nashville publishers, writers, performers and labels.
The 5:30 p.m. event is part of the ASCAP DIYU, a monthly seminar at the PRO’s Nashville headquarters, open to all. Refreshments will be provided.

Taylor Swift Named 'Billboard' Woman of the Year For Second Time

October 10, 2014/by Jessica Nicholson

Taylor Swift has been named the 2014 Billboard Woman of the Year, making her the only artist to receive the honor twice. The award honors a female artist who “has shaped and inspired the music industry with her success, leadership and innovation over the past 12 months.”
Swift was also named Billboard‘s Woman of the Year in 2011.
“As one of the most influential artists of her generation, Taylor Swift has seen incredible success on the Billboard charts,” said Janice Min, co-president and chief creative officer of Guggenheim Media’s Entertainment Group. “Over the course of her career, she’s charted 60 entries on the Billboard Hot 100 — the most of any female artist since her debut in 2006. We are tremendously excited to be honoring her as the 2014 Billboard Woman of the Year for the second time.”

Swift will be honored during the ninth annual Billboard Women in Music Awards, which will take place Dec. 12 in New York City.

2014 Women In Workforce Honor Borchetta, Brown, Essig

October 10, 2014/by Sherod Robertson

(L-R): Scott Borchetta, CEO, Big Machine Label Group; Anastasia Brown, Music Industry Luminary; Rod Essig, VP, Creative Artist Agency, Photo: Rob Mould

The Women in Workforce recently hosted the inaugural Music City Honors reception for the 2014 Women in the Workforce Award recipients at the Parthenon in Nashville.
The recipients were:
-Trailblazer: Anastasia Brown, Music Industry Luminary
-Music City Impact: Scott Borchetta, Founder/CEO, Big Machine Label Group
-Woman of the Year: Latrisha Jemison, Sr. VP, Regions Bank
-Man of the Year: Rod Essig, VP, Creative Artist Agency
-Woman to Watch: Britnie Turner, Founder/CEO, Aerial Development
-Business Leadership: The Tennessean (Pres./Publisher, Laura Hollingsworth)
“We were proud to honor Scott Borchetta, Anastasia Brown and Rod Essig, all leaders with a proven successful track record of innovating the workforce in Nashville with an impact on the Global economy,” stated Jacky Akbari, Founder, Event Producer Council on Workforce Innovation and Board Chair of Music City Honors.

(L-R): Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, Laura Hollingsworth, Tennessean Pres./Publisher; Britnie Turner, Founder/CEO, Aeriel Development; Latrisha Jemison, SVP, Regions Bank; Anastasia Brown, Music Industry Luminary; Scott Borchetta, CEO, Big Machine Label Group; Rod Essig, VP, Creative Artist Agency, Photo: Rob Mould

Governor Bill Haslam made virtual remarks and First Lady Crissy Haslam introduced the keynote speaker, Dawn Soler, Sr. VP of ABC Studio/Founder ABC Music Lounge. Mayor Karl Dean presented the awards, while Vicki Yates, Anchor, NewsChannel5, and Steven Gaydos, Editor of Variety, moderated the awards and forum.
“From the moment I got the call about receiving this award it’s been such a blessing to me. From hearing Janet Miller‘s heart felt introduction, listening to Dawn Soler’s powerful key note speech and kind congratulation videos to the inspired comments from the young women in the audience; I’m still humbled with a full heart today,” shared Anastasia Brown.
The presentations included virtual congrats from Martina McBride, as well as, a video bio featuring the career of Anastasia Brown. Reese Witherspoon, Keith Urban, Reba McEntire, Ruby Amanfu, Raul Malo, Chuck Ainlay, Trey Fanjoy and rising artist Ella Mae Bowen all shared heartfelt congratulations to the award recipients. Proclamations from the State of Tennessee were also presented to the award winners.

Industry Pics: 'Nashville Songwriter,' Island Hopper Songwriters Fest, SOLID

October 10, 2014/by Jessica Nicholson

Some of Music Row’s biggest hit-writers of the past 30 years came out to 3rd & Lindsley Bar & Grill to celebrate the release of Nashville Songwriter: The Inside Stories Behind Country Music’s Greatest Hits, featuring those writers’ life stories and how they inspired the tens-of-dozens of hits between them that followed. The release is the 36th book from Jake Brown, available nationwide from BenBella Books.

Pictured (L-R): Jeff Silbar, Craig Wiseman, author Jake Brown with arm around Freddy Powers and Catherine Powers. Standing (L-R): Neil Thrasher, Sonny Curtis, Bob DiPiero and Kelley Lovelace. Photo: Kindell Moore

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BMI, iHeartMedia, and the Lee County, Fla. Visitors and Convention Bureau presented the first Island Hopper Songwriters Fest during Sept. 26-28, and Oct. 3-5 on Captiva Island, and Fort Myers Beach, which featured more than 50 songwriters, including Kristian Bush of Sugarland, Loving Mary, and Stoney Creek Records duo Thompson Square. The events featured more than 85 shows and 20 BMI-licensed venues.

Pictured (L-R): Cat Country 107.1 Program Director Mike Tyler, Lee County Visitors and Convention Bureau Director of Marketing Laura Chmielewski, Thompson Square’s Shawna Thompson and Keifer Thompson, BMI’s Dan Spears, and Market President of iHeartMedia Southwest Florida Sherri Griswold. Photo credit: Courtesy of BMI.

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SOLID held their fourth General Assembly meeting of the year Tuesday night (Oct. 7) at City Winery in Nashville. John Marks, Sirius XM Senior Director of Country Programming, was the guest speaker. Marks spoke to the SOLID membership on a number of subjects including the role radio plays in music discovery and the listener’s power as a consumer.

Pictured (L-R): Eric Wright, SOLID Secretary; Alex Luebbert, SOLID Education Committee Chair; Marks; Michelle Tigard Kammerer, SOLID Vice President; Stefany Reed, SOLID Education Committee Co-Chair

'The Best of Me' Premieres in Nashville with Exclusive Concert

October 10, 2014/by Eric T. Parker

Lady Antebellum together with Nicholas Sparks. Photo: Bev Moser.

“This is the best soundtrack of all of my films.” -Nicholas Sparks.

Director Michael Hoffman (Mid Summer Night’s Dream, One Fine Day) took the stage at the Country Music Hall of Fame’s CMA Theater on Thursday, October 9 to welcome an invitation-only crowd to the Nashville premiere of his latest film, The Best of Me. The Relativity Media release, in theaters October 17, is an adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ (The Notebook, A Walk To Remember) novel by the same title.
“When we talked about a soundtrack, we talked about Country music because Nick Sparks movies are about honesty,” said Hoffman in his introduction from the stage. “From the beginning, the lynchpin was Lady Antebellum. I can’t thank them enough. They watched the movie and wrote the ballad of The Best of Me. They prove we were right that Country Music touches people in this country.”

Pictured (L-R): Director Michael Hoffman, author Nicholas Sparks. Photo: Bev Moser.

Sparks added, “This is the best soundtrack of all of my films. When I look out on you, I think ‘This is where the talent lies.’ It’s my honor to be here with you [artists].”
Jason Markey (Act of Valor), EVP Music at Relativity Media partnered with Universal Music Group Nashville (EMI Nashville) to create the film’s soundtrack. Artists contributing to the project include Lady Antebellum, Hunter Hayes, Colbie Caillat, Thomas Rhett, Thompson Square, Kip Moore, Kacey Musgraves, Eric Paslay, David Nail, and Eli Young Band.
Immediately following the Nashville premiere, artists took to the stage to perform acoustic sets of their work. Before “The Way Things Go,” Rhett noted he had read the book before he knew he had a song in the movie. Caillat sang her soundtrack cut, “In Love Again,” a title she wrote about a relationship that left her not wanting to fall in love with anyone else. Dave Haywood of Lady Antebellum accompanied her on piano after she sampled her title “Never Gonna Let You Down” and her latest single “Try.” Together with Gareth Dunlop, the four sisters of SHEL performed “Hold On.”
Lady Antebellum wrapped the performances with “I Did With You,” a title co-written with Monty Powell. “This is the first experience we had writing for a motion picture,” said Hillary Scott. “In the past few days, we have been between here and Los Angeles. Thank you to everyone for making this a great experience.” The trio concluded with “Bartender” and invited Caillat back for a cover of “Islands In The Stream.”

Members of SHEL with Gareth Dunlop. Photo: Bev Moser.

A $7.50 “Movie Cash Ticket” will be made available for admission to the film with the purchase of all physically released versions of the soundtrack, thanks to Relativity Studios. For superfans, Walmart will offer a special ZinePak including the soundtrack, 48-pages of photos and quotes from actors and film makers, an unabridged audio book and seeds from the flower that is featured in the story.
The film stars James Marsden and Luke Bracey respectively as older and younger “Dawson” and Michelle Monaghan and Liana Liberato respectively as older and younger “Amanda,” high school sweethearts reuniting after 21 years of growing up in Louisiana.

Artist Updates: Lauren Alaina, The Swon Brothers, Scotty McCreery, Jared Blake

October 10, 2014/by Jessica Nicholson

Lauren Alaina. Photo: Bev Moser.

MusicRow has confirmed that singer-songwriter Lauren Alaina underwent vocal surgery at Vanderbilt in August, to repair damage on her vocal cords. The singer reports that she is singing “ten times better.”
Alaina, who records for Mercury Nashville/19/Interscope Records, recently signed a worldwide publishing agreement with Warner/Chappell Music.

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Arista Nashville duo The Swon Brothers recently visited the acclaimed PS22 Chorus of fifth-grade students from the PS22 elementary school in Staten Island, NY. The chorus has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, NBC Nightly News, Anderson Cooper 360 and other media outlets.
PS22 Chorus Director Gregg Breinber and the children spent two hours outside normal school hours to ask the Swon Brothers questions and rehearse a performance of “Pretty Beautiful,” a song from the duo’s debut album, which releases Oct. 14.

The Swon Brothers with the PS22 Chorus.

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Scotty McCreery celebrated his 21st birthday yesterday while performing at KMPS Presents: The Sunset Chevrolet 12 Man Jam in Seattle. McCreery was surprised onstage by retired NFL Seattle Seahawks players Joe Tafoya and Norm Johnson with a birthday cake. The cake was brought out at 9 p.m. PT, which was midnight on the East Coast to ensure the North Carolina native was officially 21.

Scotty McCreery blows out the candle on his birthday cake. Photo: David Conger

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NBC’s The Voice Season One contestant Jared Blake will guest host on Sirius XM’s The Highway’s On The Horizon. The show, normally hosted by Buzz Brainard, features music from rising artists.
The show airs on Sirius XM’s Channel 56 on Saturdays at 12 p.m. ET, and rebroadcasts at 7 p.m. and 11 p.m., as well as six times on Sundays.

George Strait Set To Release 'The Cowboy Rides Away' Deluxe Package

October 10, 2014/by Troy_Stephenson

The reigning CMA and ACM Entertainer of the Year George Strait will release ‘The Cowboy Rides Away: Live From AT&T Stadium” exclusively with Walmart on November 10. The deluxe package includes 28 live tracks on two CDs and a DVD of the 40-song show from the June 7, 2014 show, complete with exclusive commentary from Strait.
Joining Strait for this historic night were very special guests Jason Aldean, Ray Benson, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Sheryl Crow, Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert and Martina McBride, and introduced George “Bubba” Strait, Jr.
The live CD and DVD feature duets with each of these artists, including “All My Ex’s Live In Texas,” which saw all 10 special guests on stage with Strait.
Fans have an opportunity to pre-order the deluxe edition and purchase exclusive packages including a personalized show poster, commemorative merchandise and a limited edition George Strait autographed guitar. More information is available HERE.