On The Cover – Brad Paisley (Aug./Sept. 2014)

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Brad Paisley is featured on the cover of the 2014-2015 Artist Roster print magazine. He is a critically acclaimed singer, songwriter, guitarist and entertainer whose talents have earned him numerous awards, including three GRAMMYs, two American Music Awards, 14 Academy of Country Music Awards and 14 Country Music Association Awards, among many others. A proud member of the Grand Ole Opry since 2001, Paisley earned the first of his 22 No. 1 singles in 1999, writing or co-writing 19 of them.
His latest single, “River Bank,” is from his upcoming album, Moonshine in the Trunk, to be released Aug. 25.
Paisley is currently an expert on ABC’s new hit singing competition, Rising Star, airing Sunday nights at 9 p.m., ET, through Aug. 24. Paisley also made multiple contributions to the new Disney animated film Planes: Fire & Rescue, with a voice cameo as a pick-up truck named Bubba, as well as recording two songs for the soundtrack: “Runway Romance” and “All In,” which Paisley wrote and serves as the final song in the movie.
Paisley is currently headlining his Country Nation World Tour presented by KRAFT Cheese all summer. Visit www.bradpaisley.com for more information.
To receive your copy of the Artist Roster subscribe now. For information on purchasing individual copies of MusicRow magazine, click here.
 

Bentley Adds Second Leg of 'Riser Tour'

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riser dierks bentley11Dierks Bentley announced that a second leg has been added to his 2014 Riser Tour. The 20 city run begins Oct. 2 in Stockton, CA and goes through the end of the year with special guests Randy Houser and Eric Paslay on the US dates and Houser and rising Canadian artist Tim Hicks on the stops north of the border.
Bentley’s smash hit of the summer, “Drunk On A Plane,” continues to sell an average of over 65,000 singles a week. The song is off his current album, Riser, which has tallied more than 1.5 million digital track sales. Check out MusicRow’s new Artist Roster issue for an interview with Bentley’s producer Ross Copperman.
Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine and Mountain Dew will return as tour sponsors of the tour. Fans can now purchase tickets for the first announced dates at www.dierks.com with more details to be revealed over the next few weeks.
First Announced Cities on the 2014 Riser Tour’s Second Leg:
Stockton, CA
Fresno, CA
Las Vegas, NV
Boise, ID
Missoula, MT
Edmonton, AB
Saskatoon, SK
Calgary, AB
Winnipeg, MT
Fargo, ND
Bismark, ND
Brookings, SD
Hershey, PA
Bethlehem, PA
Uncasville, CT
Utica, NY
Huntington, WV
Roanoke, VA
Baltimore, MD
Ottawa, ON
Hamilton, ON
Oshawa, ON
London, ON

CMA Adds Four Staffers

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cma_logo_detailThe Country Music Association added four staffers to its team. Emily Evans has been hired as Director, Strategic Partnerships; Angela Brown as Accounting Coordinator; Mandi Naylor joins the Live Events department as Production Coordinator; and Justin Randall as Network Administrator.
• Evans was a brand manager at st8mnt before joining the CMA. Prior to that, she worked at 13 Management as a day-to-day manager and later as a point person for all branding, strategic partnerships and marketing for Taylor Swift. She has also worked for MAC Presents, managing strategic partnerships for artists.
• Brown joins CMA from Tractor Supply Company where she was the Accounting Coordinator in the General Accounting department. Brown has an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University.
• Prior to joining CMA, Naylor was a freelance events producer, working with Freeman Enterprises on the Luke Bryan Farm Tour 2013, Music City Gives Back Concerts, the Capitol Street Party, Nashville Ultra Marathon 2013, Urban Runoff 2013, and the Mayor’s 5k Challenge. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Communication from Middle Tennessee State University.
• Randall comes to CMA from JRConsulting where he provided technology consulting support and network installation for multi-user environments. He assisted Bridgestone Arena as an IT infrastructure consultant on many of their major events including the CMA Awards, CMT Awards, and the NCAA and SEC basketball tournaments.
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CMA Awards, CMA Country Christmas Tickets On Sale Sept. 6

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Logo for "The 48th Annual CMA Awards"Tickets for the 48th Annual CMA Awards and CMA Country Christmas will go on sale to the public on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 10 a.m. CT.
Subscribers of CMA’s free e-mail newsletter will have exclusive pre-sale access for both events. This is also available to fans who “like” CMA on Facebook and follow it on Twitter.
Ticket prices start at $110 for the 48th Annual CMA Awards and $25 for CMA Country Christmas. They will be available at ticketmaster.com, by calling (800) 745-3000 or by visiting the Bridgestone Arena Box Office in downtown Nashville.
The 48th Annual CMA Awards will again be hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood and will broadcast live on ABC on Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. CT.
More information can be found at www.CMAawards.com

Underwood, Nettles, McBride Slated For Michael W. Smith Christmas Album

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Michael W. Smith will welcome an impressive lineup of fellow artists for his upcoming holiday season release Michael W. Smith & Friends: The Spirit of Christmas, which will release Sept. 30. Bono, Vince Gill, Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride, Little Big Town, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Nettles, Amy Grant and Michael McDonald have all recorded tracks for the project.

Pictured (L-R): Robert Deaton, Carrie Underwood, Michael W. Smith

Pictured (L-R): Robert Deaton, Carrie Underwood, Michael W. Smith. Photo: Ryan Smith.


The project also marks Robert Deaton‘s debut as an album producer. The CMA Awards and CMA Country Christmas producer approached Smith about creating a full Christmas recording after Smith’s performance with Nettles during the 2013 Country Christmas program. Orchestral maestro David Hamilton was brought in as the third co-producer, and arranged and oversaw the London Symphony Orchestra’s recordings on the album.
“When we started talking about who could be on this record with him, the list got really narrow really fast,” remarked co-producer Deaton. “There’s a difference between a singer and an artist, or a celebrity and an artist. While we were fortunate to have these amazing guests on the record, it all feels like a cohesive piece and you never leave the fact that it’s a Michael W. Smith record. That was important. That, along with working with co-producer David Hamilton, who is the resident genius, was amazing. This entire process has just been phenomenal.”
Little Big Town with Michael W. Smith. Photo: Ryan Smith

Little Big Town with Michael W. Smith. Photo: Ryan Smith


This marks Smith’s fourth Christmas album, following 1989’s Michael W. Smith Christmas, 1998’s Christmastime, and 2007’s It’s A Wonderful Christmas.
“This is the most unique and unusual record I’ve ever done in my 31-year career. The entire record was sequenced together before we recorded one song,” comments Smith. “Sonically you’re hearing me in a way that you’ve probably never heard me before. At one point it’s like Smitty meets Bublé. There’s my granddaughter’s voice singing the song from ‘Home Alone,’ plus the whole orchestral and symphonic feeling of Christmas, mixed together with all these amazing voices and guests – yet it all fits together in a remarkable way.”
mws album cover1Michael W. Smith & Friends: The Spirit of Christmas Track Listing
1. The Miracle of Christmas
2. It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
3. Happy Holidays/Holiday Season
4. Christmas Time Is Here (feat. Vince Gill)
5. White Christmas (feat. Lady Antebellum)
6. Somewhere In My Memory
7. The Spirit of Christmas (Deck the Halls, Good King Wenceslas, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Feels Like Christmas, O Come All Ye Faithful)
8. Silent Night (feat. Little Big Town)
9. What Child Is This (feat. Martina McBride)
10. Almost There (feat. Amy Grant)
11. All Is Well (feat. Carrie Underwood)
12. Christmas Day (feat. Jennifer Nettles)
13. The Darkest Midnight (Spoken Word by Bono)
14. Peace (with Special Guest Michael McDonald)

Industry Ink: T.J. Martell Foundation, AC Entertainment

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T.J. Martell FoundationThe T.J. Martell Foundation for Leukemia, Cancer and AIDS Research has announced Let’s Talk Nashville, an opportunity for guests to dine and converse with some of Nashville’s most influential people in business, sports, and music. Grand Ole Opry VP and General Manager Pete Fisher, 3HL Sports Network host Brent Dougherty, Elvis Presley’s former musical director Joe Guerico, STYX founding member Tommy Shaw, and former News Channel 2 anchor John Dwyer are among those taking part in the event. Each table will feature a “guest host” who will provide a personalized centerpiece for the table that reflects their background or expertise. Each centerpiece will be auctioned off to guests in attendance. All proceeds will benefit the T.J. Martell Foundation.
To attend the event, call 615-256-2002 or visit tjmartell.org.
 

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ac entertainment11Concert promoter and festival producer AC Entertainment has partnered with South Carolina-based live music clubs Music Farm Charleston, and the new Music Farm Columbia, which is set to open in September 2014.
The Music Farm venues will join several venues booked and programmed by AC Entertainment, including Nashville’s Exit/In and Marathon Music Works, as well as Chattanooga, Tenn.’s Track 29. AC also exclusively programs all non-symphony concerts for the Nashville Symphony Orchestra at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. AC Entertainment has operated and managed the Historic Tennessee Theatre since 1996. In 2006, it took the helm of the 105-year-old Bijou Theatre. Both theatres are in downtown Knoxville, Tenn.

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Renee Grant-Williams

Renee Grant-Williams


Vocal coach Renee Grant-Williams will host a MiniClinic for Singers at her downtown studio in Nashville on Friday, Oct. 17. The MiniClinic will be held from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., and is limited to six attendees. The clinic is designed for singers of all styles, skills and experience levels. The fee for the all-day event is $425. Those interested in attending can register at myvoicecoach.com or by calling 615-244-3280.
Grant-Williams is known for providing vocal coaching to artists including Faith Hill, Jason Aldean, Christina Aguilera, Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Martina McBride, and others.

Alan Jackson To Perform Exclusive Shows at CMA Theater

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Alan Jackson

Alan Jackson


Alan Jackson is set to perform two Wednesday night concerts, Oct. 8 and 22, as the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s 2014 Artist-in-Residence. Held inside the new 800-seat CMA Theater at 7:00 p.m., both exclusive evenings provide Jackson the opportunity to personally structure the performances.
Jackson’s residency coincides with the forthcoming exhibition Alan Jackson: 25 Years of Keepin’ It Country, slated to run from Aug. 29 through March 2015, making him the first simultaneous artist-in-residence and major museum exhibit subject.
Tickets will be limited to two per show to the general public at Noon (CT) on Monday, Sept. 8 for $60-100. Limited pre-sale tickets will be offered to museum members registered by the end of August and Alan Jackson fan club members beginning Friday, September 5 at 10:00 a.m. For more information, visit countrymusichalloffame.org/artist-in-residence.
Established in 2003, the museum’s residency program annually honors a musical master who can be credited with contributing a large and significant body of work to the canon of American popular music. Previous Artist-in-Residence honorees include Cowboy Jack Clement, Earl Scruggs, Tom T. Hall, Guy Clark, Kris Kristofferson, Jerry Douglas, Vince Gill, Buddy Miller, Connie Smith, Kenny Rogers and Ricky Skaggs.

Kenny Chesney's 'The Big Revival' Track Listing Revealed

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kenny chesney11

Kenny Chesney


Fans who pre-order Kenny Chesney‘s Sept. 23 release The Big Revival will get his single “American Kids,” as well as new song “Flora-Bama,” a musical tribute to a well-known bar on the Alabama/Florida state line.
“It’s a very specific song about a very specific place,” Chesney says of the song, which was co-written with David Lee Murphy, “but it’s also a song for anyone who has somewhere they go to let their mind unwind. It’s about bein’ easy, but bein’ engaged. Because – as I’ve said – places like the Flora-Bama are what life is all about.”
Co-produced by Chesney and Buddy Cannon, the 11-track release The Big Revival includes songs from Dennis Linde, Andrew Dorff, Craig Wiseman, Ross Copperman, Shane McAnally, Tom Douglas, Brad Tursi, Luke Laird, Jimmy Yeary, Rodney Clawson, and more. “Don’t It” features the voices of Alison Krauss and Dan Tyminski, while “Wild Child” reunites Chesney with his “You and Tequila” singing partner Grace Potter.

The Big Revival Track Listing

1. The Big Revival (Dennis Linde)
2. Drink It Up (Rodney Clawson/Vicky McGehee/David Lee Murphy)
3. Til It’s Gone (Rodney Clawson/David Lee Murphy/Jimmy Yeary)
4. American Kids (Rodney Clawson/Shane McAnally/Luke Laird)
5. Wild Child (with Grace Potter) (Kenny Chesney/Shane McAnally/Josh Osborne)
6. Beer Can Chicken (Kenny Chesney/Ross Copperman/David Lee Murphy)
7. Rock Bottom (Craig Wiseman/Matt Dragstrem)
8. Don’t It (Brent Cobb/Chase McGill)
9. Save It for a Rainy Day (Andrew Dorff/Matt Ramsey/Brad Tursi)
10. Flora-Bama (Kenny Chesney/Ross Copperman/David Lee Murphy)
11. If This Bus Could Talk (Kenny Chesney/Tom Douglas)

The Agency Group Acquires The Bobby Roberts Company

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Pictured (L-R): Travis James, Gavin O’Reilly, Bobby Roberts, Nick Meinema, and Lance Roberts.

Pictured (L-R): Travis James, Gavin O’Reilly, Bobby Roberts, Nick Meinema, and Lance Roberts.


The Agency Group today (Aug. 12) announced the acquisition of The Bobby Roberts Company, the talent agency representing artists including Merle Haggard, John Anderson, Marty Stuart, Pam Tillis, Lorrie Morgan, John Michael Montgomery, Blackjack Billy and Chris Janson.
Earlier this year, The Agency Group celebrated the second anniversary of the establishment of its Nashville office led by Sr. VP Nick Meinema and home to agents Scott Galloway, Justin Bridgewater, Stu Walker and Justin Hill. The Nashville office will now see the addition of newly appointed Vice President Lance Roberts and booking agents Travis James, Josh Garrett, Matt Rizor and Alec Vidmar with their respective rosters. Bobby Roberts will continue his active involvement as a strategic consultant.
The system of booking dates by Agents in the Nashville office will be territorial, instead of The Agency Group’s standard Responsible-Agent system. Territories will be allocated as follows:
Lance Roberts: TN, ND, SD, NE, KS, MN, IA, MO, WI, IL
Travis James: MI, IN, OH, KY, WV, PA, NY, VT, ME, NH, MA, CT, RI, NJ
Scott Galloway: AR, LA, TX, OK, MN
Josh Garrett: FL, MS, AL, GA, SC, NC, VA, TN, MD, DE
Alex Vidmar: WA, OR ,MT, ID, WY, CO, UT, NV, CA, AZ, AK, HI
Justin Hill (Performing Arts Centers): WA, OR, MT, ID, WY, CO, UT, NV, CA, AZ, AK, HI
Nick Meinema: Canada
The Agency Group is headed by Founder & Worldwide President Neil Warnock who leads a team of 90 agents in seven international offices (London, Los Angeles, Malmo, Miami, Nashville, New York, and Toronto). The Agency Group’s roster includes The Black Keys, Guns N’ Roses, Kevin Costner and Modern West, Muse, Paramore, Nickelback, Wiz Khalifa, Jeff Bridges, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Ringo Starr, Dolly Parton, RUSH, The Mavericks, Sundy Best, Dallas Smith and many more. Warnock said, “Nashville—the home of so many music legends—has always been a central ambition of The Agency Group to increase our presence here, and with The Bobby Roberts Company joining us it will bring even greater strength and purpose going forward.”
“We see Nashville as a vital music hub and an essential ingredient in our global strategy. The addition of The Bobby Roberts Company’s roster to our list of internationally acclaimed Country artists solidifies our place within the genre,” stated Gavin O’Reilly, Group CEO of The Agency Group. “We are delighted and honored to carry on the goodwill and proud legacy built by the incomparable Bobby Roberts and to welcome a group of talented agents.”
“All of us at The Bobby Roberts Company are very pleased to become a part of The Agency Group family through this exciting merger,” said Bobby Roberts. “We now have the resources, tools and additional agents to better serve and enhance the touring needs of our artists. The possibilities are endless for our roster with The Agency Group’s team of professionals and their various departments, and under the combined leadership of Nick Meinema and Lance Roberts we will have much to offer artists, managers and the overall Nashville music community.”
“Since its founding in 1986, The Bobby Roberts Company has been a highly respected Nashville institution with superb A&R and booking capabilities,” said Meinema. “With The Agency Group’s unique global reach and added strategic services in Brand Integration, Digital and Tour Marketing, and Fairs/ Festivals, Casinos, Colleges and Corporate Booking, we look forward to bringing a world of new opportunities to our expanded roster of artists.”

Jerrod Niemann To Headline Fall Dates

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Jerrod Niemann. Photo: Rebecca Clark

Jerrod Niemann. Photo: Rebecca Clark


Sea Gayle Records/Arista Nashville recording artist Jerrod Niemann has announced he will headline his Get Your Buzz Back Tour, from October through the end of the year.
Named for his latest single by the same name, the tour will hit over 15 cities with opening act Chris Lane.
Niemann is currently on tour with Keith Urban’s summer Raise ‘Em Up Tour.
For his Sept. 12 headlining date at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, Niemann’s opening act will be Logan Mize.
Initial Get Your Buzz Back Tour dates:
Oct. 24 | House of Blues | Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Oct. 31 | The Fillmore | Silver Spring, Md.
Nov. 6 | Theatre Of The Living Arts | Philadelphia, Pa.
Nov. 12 | Egyptian Room | Indianapolis, Ind.
Nov. 13 | House of Blues | Chicago, Ill.
Nov. 14 | House of Blues | Cleveland, Ohio
Nov. 15 | St. Andrews Hall | Detroit, Mich.
Nov. 20 | House of Blues | San Diego, Calif.
Dec. 4 | House of Blues | Houston, Texas
Dec. 6 | House of Blues | Lake Buena Vista, Fla.