LeAnn Rimes
will sing the national anthem during pre-race ceremonies at the 98th running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 25 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“To sing the national anthem at one of the most prestigious racing events is truly an honor,” Rimes said. “The adrenaline at the Speedway is felt around the world and I know I am one of millions who is so excited to hear those six legendary words ‘ladies and gentlemen, start your engines…’
• • •
Lori McKenna
Universal Music Group Publishing singer-songwriter
Lori McKenna will perform Tuesday, May 20 at the Music City Tippler at 6 p.m. Members of the music industry are invited.
In 2013, McKenna released the acclaimed project
Massachusetts. She recently co-wrote three songs that appeared on the Country radio charts, including
Little Big Town‘s “Sober” and “Your Side of the Bed,” and
Hunter Hayes‘ “I Want Crazy.”
• • •
Jason Aldean
and
Firestone have teamed for a brand partnership that will launch Saturday, May 24 for
Firestone Presents: Jason Aldean at the Indianapolis 500. Aldean will headline the inaugural performance at the new Turn 4 infield stage at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“Firestone is a natural fit for me,” said Aldean. “I’m a truck guy, and I can tell you truck guys care a lot about their tires. For me, the bigger, the better! Looking forward to having them as a partner in kicking off the relationship at the Indy 500.”
• • •
Photo: Joel Crouse via Twitter.
was in a serious automobile accident on Friday night (May 16), when he lost control of the car he was driving. The car flipped, landing on its roof. The 21-year-old singer-songwriter
posted to social media, “Last night a miracle happened. I walked away from the car without a scratch on me.”
Crouse was alone in the car when the accident occurred.
Streamsound Records Appoints Karen Tallier as VP, Media Marketing
/by Jessica NicholsonKaren Tallier
Streamsound Records has appointed public relations practitioner Karen Tallier as Vice President of Media Marketing. In the newly created role, Tallier will oversee all marketing efforts, including publicity, digital media and creative services, and will report to CEO Steve Richardson.
“Karen’s work ethic and ability to manage resources will make her an invaluable addition to the Streamsound team,” says Richardson. “We look forward to seeing her knowledge and experience enhance the careers of the artists who call Streamsound home. ”
“I am thrilled to join a great independent label that possesses a highly experienced, committed and passionate staff,” said Tallier. “We are all here to give our artists the ability to be successful, to have their music heard and to support them in doing what they love the most. There’s no better feeling than to see the fruits of that labor and I have no doubt that we’ll be successful given that mandate.”
Tallier helmed LOUDMOUTH PR for more than a decade, where she represented artists at Broken Bow Records, Stoney Creek Records, Average Joes Entertainment, RPM Entertainment and Cold River Records. Prior to her time at LOUDMOUTH, Tallier served in finance and publicity roles at RCA Label Group.
Brentwood, Tenn.-based Streamsound Records opened in 2012, and is distributed by ATO Records. Led by Byron Gallimore, Jim Wilkes and Tim McHugh, the label’s roster includes Kristian Bush, Austin Webb, Dakota Bradley and Jaida Dreyer.
Tallier can be reached at ktallier@streamsound.com.
Get An Early Look at Nashville's West Riverfront Park
/by Jessica NicholsonThe final design and new renderings of the 11-acre West Riverfront Park’s first phase were unveiled earlier today by Nashville mayor Karl Dean. The park will include more than one mile of multi-use greenway trails, a downtown dog park, gardens, an amphitheater and a 1.5-acre event lawn dubbed The Green.
The park is slated to open in summer 2015.
“This site is the last great vestige of open space in downtown Nashville, and I can’t think of a better use for such beautiful green space than a world-class park, coupled with a spectacular performance venue to showcase all that Music City has to offer,” Mayor Dean said. “This iconic park will quickly become a destination for active recreation and enjoyment for residents who live in all parts of Davidson County, as well as visitors to our city.”
The amphitheater site within the park will be fully-accessible to the public during non-event days, though it may be fenced and gated during events and pre-event setup. The amphitheater will accommodate up to 6,500 people with semi-fixed seating for 2,200, a 300-person greenway pavilion, and 4,000 lawn seats.
The amphitheater facility is approximately 35,000 square feet on two floors and includes a 100-foot by 60-foot stage with a 40-foot vertical opening designed to accommodate multiple forms of performance events. The facility is fully supported with an artist wing, operator offices, and dining and event space which open to a park-side terrace.
The amphitheater walls are designed to appear like natural stone rising out of the landscape, similar to the limestone cliffs along the Cumberland River. The stone bases are augmented with steel panels and a flat roof with natural finishes.
The amphitheater bowl will include multiple buildings for restrooms, concessions, first aid and sound control for events. The facility is being built to Silver LEED certification. Sustainable features include geothermal heating and cooling, green roofs, solar power and rainwater collection.
Artist Updates (5/19/14)
/by Jessica NicholsonLeAnn Rimes
LeAnn Rimes will sing the national anthem during pre-race ceremonies at the 98th running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 25 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“To sing the national anthem at one of the most prestigious racing events is truly an honor,” Rimes said. “The adrenaline at the Speedway is felt around the world and I know I am one of millions who is so excited to hear those six legendary words ‘ladies and gentlemen, start your engines…’
• • •
Lori McKenna
Universal Music Group Publishing singer-songwriter Lori McKenna will perform Tuesday, May 20 at the Music City Tippler at 6 p.m. Members of the music industry are invited.
In 2013, McKenna released the acclaimed project Massachusetts. She recently co-wrote three songs that appeared on the Country radio charts, including Little Big Town‘s “Sober” and “Your Side of the Bed,” and Hunter Hayes‘ “I Want Crazy.”
• • •
Jason Aldean
Jason Aldean and Firestone have teamed for a brand partnership that will launch Saturday, May 24 for Firestone Presents: Jason Aldean at the Indianapolis 500. Aldean will headline the inaugural performance at the new Turn 4 infield stage at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“Firestone is a natural fit for me,” said Aldean. “I’m a truck guy, and I can tell you truck guys care a lot about their tires. For me, the bigger, the better! Looking forward to having them as a partner in kicking off the relationship at the Indy 500.”
• • •
Photo: Joel Crouse via Twitter.
Joel Crouse was in a serious automobile accident on Friday night (May 16), when he lost control of the car he was driving. The car flipped, landing on its roof. The 21-year-old singer-songwriter posted to social media, “Last night a miracle happened. I walked away from the car without a scratch on me.”
Crouse was alone in the car when the accident occurred.
Lee Ann Womack To Release New Project in September
/by Jessica Nicholson“I wanted songs that talked about how life really is, the raw spots, the tough places, the meltdowns and messy parts,” Womack says. “Hard, sad, rough… all the stuff people pretend doesn’t exist! Because once you embrace that, you can figure out what to do; or not do!”
“The Way I’m Livin’,” written by Grammy Country Song of the Year nominee Adam Wright (“So You Don’t Have To Love Me Any More”), will debut May 22 on the Wall Street Journal’s wsj.com.
“It feels so good to be getting new music out to the fans,” Womack. “I live to sing great songs that tear holes in life – just show living for what it is. I was fired up going into the studio, and Matt (Chamberlin), Duke (Levine), Glen (Worf, Jr), Mac (McAnally), Paul (Franklin) and all the amazing players who came by took me to an even higher place inside these songs.
“And knowing these songs were written to be performed, not pitched, sets a bar! Every songwriter wrote intending to sing ’em, to tell these stories, show these postcards, and you can feel the way they built the characters! Bringing that to music was just so incredible for everyone on the sessions.”
Curb Music Publishing Re-signs Kyle Jacobs
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Drew Alexander – VP of Curb Publishing, Mike Curb – Founder of Curb Records, Kyle Jacobs, Colt Cameron – Sr. Creative Director, Curb Publishing.
Curb Music Publishing has re-signed songwriter Kyle Jacobs to its roster. During his time as a Curb Music Publishing writer, Jacobs has penned songs for Eli Young Band (“Dust”) and Jerrod Niemann (“Donkey”). Other artists to benefit from Jacobs’ compositions include Tim McGraw, Lee Brice, Kenny Chesney, George Strait, Kelly Clarkson, Thompson Square, Scotty McCreery, Trace Adkins, Craig Morgan and Garth Brooks (“More Than A Memory”).
Jacobs moved to Nashville in 2000; in 2003, Jacobs’ song “8th World Wonder” became a breakthrough hit for American Idol contestant Kimberly Locke.
He soon met fellow songwriter (and artist in his own right) Lee Brice. “Meeting Lee was a big deal,” Jacobs says. “Writing with Lee helped me realize that Country music is the most free world I can write in. I can write about God, I can write about drinking, I can rock it or I can bring it back a little bit. Musically I can be creative and it’s a huge world lyrically. He helped me discover that.
“I love writing pop melodies and putting a country lyric on it with a country voice,” he continues. “It’s just cool how it comes out. I love challenging myself musically.”
Voting For CMA Broadcast Awards and SRO Awards
/by Sarah SkatesCategories for submission include Broadcast Personality in four different market sizes (major, large, medium, and small) as well as CMA National Broadcast Personality of the Year. To submit an entry, CMA member radio stations and broadcast personalities in the U.S. and Canada should log on to Broadcast.CMAawards.com. The site will accept submissions until Friday, June 27 (5:00 PM/CT).
All entries must reflect performances and events between June 1, 2013 and May 31, 2014.
CMA Broadcast Award winners will be notified in early October and recognized at “The 48th Annual CMA Awards,” which will be held later this year in Nashville. For more information about CMA Broadcast Award entries please contact Brandi Simms, CMA Senior Director of Membership and Balloting, at BSimms@CMAworld.com.
• • • •
Balloting for CMA’s popular touring industry honors known as the SRO (Standing Room Only) Awards began with a nominating round on April 22. The final ballot will be emailed to eligible CMA members Tuesday, June 3. Voting for the SRO Awards final ballot ends Friday, June 20 (5:00 PM/CT).
CMA members in the following categories: Advertising/Public Relations/Media, Affiliated, Artist, Entertainment Services, Marketing/Digital, Musician, Personal Manager, Record Label, Talent Agent, Talent Buyer/Promoter, Touring, and Venue are eligible to vote for the CMA SRO Awards. Ballots will be tabulated by the international accounting firm Deloitte & Touche LLP.
The SRO Award categories will be as follows:
As previously reported, the first ballot for the 48th CMA Awards will be emailed July 3.
Richard Conlon Exits BMI
/by Sarah SkatesConlon said, “I have enjoyed a great run at BMI creating our digital revenue stream and positioning the company for growth and relevance in the exploding global entertainment world…I leave a team of talented professionals who are well poised to continue serving BMI’s songwriters, publishers and licensees. The decision to leave was difficult, but the current state of the market and the potential that lies ahead make this an opportune time to start a new chapter….”
BMI President Del Bryant said, “Richard has played a pivotal role in the strategic growth and positioning of BMI and the value of music for decades. We appreciate his many contributions to the company and his enduring advocacy at the negotiating table and across the entire marketplace for our songwriters, composers, publishers and licensees alike. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
Big Machine's Mötley Crüe Tribute Project To Release July 8
/by Jessica NicholsonThe project will feature artists including Florida Georgia Line, Justin Moore, Big & Rich, LeAnn Rimes, Gretchen Wilson, Darius Rucker, Rascal Flatts and others, giving their renditions of 15 of the band’s biggest hits.
“We did not make this record for Mötley Crüe fans, but for Country fans who are also Rock fans. I believe that there’s going to be a lot of synergy and excitement for Mötley Crüe fans hearing different artists covering their favorite songs. People will be surprised how these artists made these songs their own and we couldn’t be happier with how the album turned out. It’s been an amazing, positive experience and, as a lot of things we’ve done, a first in our career,” says Mötley Crüe bassist, Nikki Sixx.
Big Machine Label Group President and CEO Scott Borchetta says of the collaboration, “I have been a not-so-secret Crüe fan from the beginning. When manager Chris Nilsson called with the idea for a tribute album on Big Machine Records it was an immediate ‘yes’ from me! Our album will highlight just how great the Mötley Crüe song catalog is. At the end of the day, that’s what will stand the test of time.”
Nashville Outlaws: A Tribute To Mötley Crüe Track listing:
Rascal Flatts – “Kickstart My Heart”
Florida Georgia Line – “If I Die Tomorrow”
LeAnn Rimes – “Smokin’ In The Boys Room”
Justin Moore – “Home Sweet Home”
Cassadee Pope with Robin Zander – “The Animal In Me”
Aaron Lewis – “Afraid”
Big & Rich – “SOS”
Sam Palladio and Clare Bowen – “Without You”
Eli Young Band – “Don’t Go Away Mad”
Lauren Jenkins – “Looks That Kill”
The Cadillac Three – “Live Wire”
The Mavericks – “Dr. Feelgood”
Brantley Gilbert – “Girls Girls Girls”
Gretchen Wilson – “Wild Side”
Darius Rucker – “Time For Change”
John Rich & Friends Concert To Benefit St. Jude
/by Jessica Nicholson“I’m really honored to host the third ‘John Rich and Friends’ for the kids at St Jude,” said Rich. “I’m very blessed to have such giving friends in the music industry who continue to show up and play this incredible event year in and year out. This group represents more than 30 million record sales and countless number ones. It will be a night to remember for sure,” he said.
St. Jude partner Window World® is presenting sponsor for the third consecutive year. Through its charitable foundation Window World Cares, the company supports St. Jude and has raised more than $4 million for the kids of St. Jude.
Tickets are available for purchase at Ticketmaster, ranging from $40-$80 per person.
“We are so grateful to our incredible friend John Rich and all of the entertainers for lending their talents to support St. Jude for this special evening,” said Richard Shadyac Jr., CEO of ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “This annual concert is a perfect start to a week of special events and moments celebrating the hospital’s long history with the FedEx St. Jude Classic and is also instrumental in helping us to advance our work of saving the lives of children everywhere.”
Deana Carter to Play Several Hometown Shows in Nashville
/by Troy_StephensonDeana Carter
Deana Carter is currently out promoting her first new album in nearly a decade, Southern Way of Life (Little Nugget Records). In support of the release, the singer-songwriter is set to play several shows in her hometown of Nashville. Carter is scheduled to play The Basement on May 21, The Grand Ole Opry on May 31, and she will join Eddie Stubbs on June 2 at 7 p.m. at the Country Music Hall of Fame for the “An Evening With Eddie Stubbs,” broadcast on WSM AM.
Southern Way of Life features songwriters Kacey Musgraves, Kimberly Perry and Tyler Hilton.
Additionally, Carter will join John Rich (of Big & Rich) in Memphis on June 3 for a performance benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.