Johnny Sibert
Steel Guitar Hall of Fame member
Johnny Sibert was buried at Woodlawn Memorial Park on Monday, Dec. 30, following graveside services.
The gifted and humble steel-guitar legend died at age 80 on Dec. 21, following years of declining health. He was best known as being a key component of the classic country sound of Carl Smith.
Sibert was born in Indianapolis but was raised in Music City. He began attending Grand Ole Opry shows as a boy and was inspired to learn to play steel guitar at age 14. His career began when he joined the Radio Playboys band of Big Jeff Bess. The group performed regularly on Nashville’s WLAC radio.
Future Country Music Hall of Fame member Carl Smith (1927-2010) heard Sibert on the radio and invited him to audition for his band, The Tunesmiths. The steel guitarist became a member of Smith’s group in 1951 when he was just 17 years old.
Sibert’s playing can be heard on such big Carl Smith hits as “Are You Teasing Me” (1952), “Hey Joe” (1953), “Loose Talk” (1954) and “There She Goes” (1955). He also played on such hits as Little Jimmy Dickens’ “Out Behind the Barn” (1954) and Kitty Wells’ “Heartbreak U.S.A.” (1961), as well as on records by Johnnie & Jack, Lefty Frizzell, The Everly Brothers, Carl Butler, The Maddox Brothers & Rose, June Carter, Freddie Hart, The Collins Kids and Rosemary Clooney.
After a stint in Kitty Wells’ band in 1959-60, he returned to Smith as the star’s bandleader, 1961-69. Sibert reportedly grew tired on life on the road and quit the group thereafter. By the mid-1970s, he’d put his instruments aside and had given up music entirely.
He became a longtime security guard at
The Tennessean newspaper beginning in 1977. He was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1998.
In later years, he became a mentor to Chris Scruggs, whose playing style closely emulates Sibert’s. Scruggs is now a leading figure in Nashville’s Americana-music scene. Johnny Sibert retired in 1998. He lived in Smyrna, Tenn.
John Neil Sibert is survived by his son, John Devin Sibert; brother Roger Paul Sibert and grandchild Kelsey Pagen Sibet.
Mark Your Calendar – January 2014
/by Eric T. ParkerJanuary 12
71st annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel
January 17
BMI’s 15th annual Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards Luncheon at Rocketown in Nashville
January 17-18
St. Jude Country Radio Seminar
January 21
ACM Awards Second Round Ballot Closes
January 26
56th Annual Grammy Awards
January 14
Jennifer Nettles/That Girl/Mercury Nashville
Jon Pardi/Write You A Song/Capitol Records Nashville
Rosanne Cash/The River & The Thread/Blue Note Records
Mary Chapin Carpenter/Songs From The Movie/Rounder Records
Charlie Farley/Hog Heaven/Average Joes Entertainment-Backroad Records
January 21
Various/2014 GRAMMY Nominees album/Atlantic Records
January 28
Ronnie Milsap/Summer #17/Legacy
North 40/Sing Your Own Song/Rhymetown Entertainment
January 6
Bernie Nelson/Scarecrow/If I Know Blue Records
Blake Shelton/Doin’ What She Likes/Warner Bros.-WMN
January 13
Brantley Gilbert/Bottoms Up/Valory
Kayla Calabrese/This Is How It Feels/GTR
Keith Urban/Cop Car/Capitol
Tim McGraw/TBD/Big Machine
January 16
Jeremy Phifer/Take The L Out Of Lover/HMG
January 21
Lexi James/Stop/Spin Doctors
Rascal Flatts/Rewind/Big Machine
Chris Young/Who I Am With You/RCA Nashville
January 27
Joe Nichols/Yeah/Red Bow
LifeNotes: George A. Collier Passes
/by Jessica NicholsonGeorge Collier
Industry veteran and Philadelphia native George A. Collier died Saturday, Dec. 21 in Nashville. He was 69. Collier, a 45-year industry veteran, most recently served as President at Aspirion Records. During his career, Collier spent time in marketing and promotions with Decca, MCA, Atlantic and Arista labels.
Collier’s funeral was held Saturday, Dec. 28 at Woodlawn-Roesch Patton Funeral Home. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Diane M. Collier; children, Diane M. (Eric) Jensen, George A. Collier, Jr., Susan L. Collier and Deborah A. (David) Kirby; grandchildren, Jason Parra, Steven Jensen, Andrew Jensen, Lexus Kirby and D.J. Kirby; brother, William G. Collier.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions be directed to the National Kidney Foundation at www.kidney.org
Lady A Gives Virtual Preview of "Downtown" Tour
/by Caitlin RantalaIn anticipation of their headlining Take Me Downtown Tour, Lady Antebellum is sharing a behind-the-scenes video from tour rehearsals in Nashville, Tenn. The group gives fans a sneak peek of the new stage and hints at surprises for opening night. The North American tour kicks off next week on Jan. 10 in Peoria, Ill., with Kip Moore and Kacey Musgraves.
For a full list of tourdates, visit ladyantebellum.com.
Industry Ink (1/2/14)
/by Lorie HollabaughThe first show, slated for Jan. 2, begins at 9 p.m. and features Ellen Britton, WT Davidson, Sally Barris and Henry Hipkens. For more information, visit bluebirdcafe.com.
• • •
Hank Williams, Jr.
This year’s annual New Year’s Eve Bash in downtown Nashville drew a record crowd, with an estimated 85,000 people crowding onto Broadway to watch the star-studded concert featuring Striking Matches, the Kopecky Family Band, Brett Eldredge, and Hank Williams Jr. and the midnight Music Note drop and fireworks.
This was the fifth year for the event, which has grown in popularity each year.
The station will now play songs from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s by artists like George Strait, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Reba, Kenny Rogers, Dolly, Garth, Alan Jackson, and more.
Google Play All Access Customers Get Google Glass Offer
/by Lorie HollabaughAs reported in MusicRow last month, Google recently rolled out a Glass voice command that allows users to access their personal music library with the phrase: “OK Glass, listen to….” During last month’s Engadget Expand conference in New York, Google senior development advocate Timothy Jordan revealed that the company is moving towards a larger rollout of the glasses.
LifeNotes: Steel Guitar Great Laid To Rest
/by Robert K OermannJohnny Sibert
Steel Guitar Hall of Fame member Johnny Sibert was buried at Woodlawn Memorial Park on Monday, Dec. 30, following graveside services.
The gifted and humble steel-guitar legend died at age 80 on Dec. 21, following years of declining health. He was best known as being a key component of the classic country sound of Carl Smith.
Sibert was born in Indianapolis but was raised in Music City. He began attending Grand Ole Opry shows as a boy and was inspired to learn to play steel guitar at age 14. His career began when he joined the Radio Playboys band of Big Jeff Bess. The group performed regularly on Nashville’s WLAC radio.
Future Country Music Hall of Fame member Carl Smith (1927-2010) heard Sibert on the radio and invited him to audition for his band, The Tunesmiths. The steel guitarist became a member of Smith’s group in 1951 when he was just 17 years old.
Sibert’s playing can be heard on such big Carl Smith hits as “Are You Teasing Me” (1952), “Hey Joe” (1953), “Loose Talk” (1954) and “There She Goes” (1955). He also played on such hits as Little Jimmy Dickens’ “Out Behind the Barn” (1954) and Kitty Wells’ “Heartbreak U.S.A.” (1961), as well as on records by Johnnie & Jack, Lefty Frizzell, The Everly Brothers, Carl Butler, The Maddox Brothers & Rose, June Carter, Freddie Hart, The Collins Kids and Rosemary Clooney.
After a stint in Kitty Wells’ band in 1959-60, he returned to Smith as the star’s bandleader, 1961-69. Sibert reportedly grew tired on life on the road and quit the group thereafter. By the mid-1970s, he’d put his instruments aside and had given up music entirely.
He became a longtime security guard at The Tennessean newspaper beginning in 1977. He was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1998.
In later years, he became a mentor to Chris Scruggs, whose playing style closely emulates Sibert’s. Scruggs is now a leading figure in Nashville’s Americana-music scene. Johnny Sibert retired in 1998. He lived in Smyrna, Tenn.
John Neil Sibert is survived by his son, John Devin Sibert; brother Roger Paul Sibert and grandchild Kelsey Pagen Sibet.
CMT Announces New Series ‘Party Down South’
/by Michael_SmithParty Down South Cast. (L-R, back row): Mattie Breaux, Josh Murray, Lauren White, Lyle Boudreaux; (L-R, front row): Walt Windham, Tiffany Heinen, Ryan Richards, Taylor Wright. Photo: CMT.com.
CMT’s latest series Party Down South will follow the lives of eight young adults over the course of one summer in Murrells Inlet, S.C. The show’s cast includes Josh Murray (31, of Louise, Miss.), Lyle Boudreaux (28, of Lafayette, La.), Ryan Richards (33, of Orange Beach, Ala.), Lauren White (21, of Pineville, La.), Mattie Breaux (24, of Gheens, La.), Walt Windham (26, of Frankfort, Ky.), Taylor Wright (23, of Rockingham, N.C.) and Tiffany Heinen (25, of Eunice, La.).
The one-hour, 10-episode series, created by the producers of MTV’s hit reality series Jersey Shore, will premiere on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 10 p.m. ET on CMT.
Visit CMT.com for more information.
Nashville Artists Rank Among Pollstar's Top 20 Tours For 2013
/by Jessica NicholsonTaylor Swift
Pollstar has released rankings for the top 20 highest grossing worldwide tours for 2013, and the list includes Nashville artists Taylor Swift and Kenny Chesney. Swift lands at No. 8 on the list, having grossed $131 million from touring in 2013. According to the list, Swift sold 1,481,900 tickets in 2013 (at an average of $88.40 per ticket), playing 73 shows in 52 cities. Swift is represented by The Messina Group.
Chesney enters the list at No. 15, grossing $90.9 million in 2013. According to Pollstar’s list, Chesney sold 1,186,925 tickets in 2013 (at an average of $76.62 per ticket), playing 44 shows in 41 cities. Chesney is represented by Dale Morris & Associates.
Bon Jovi tops the rankings with $259.5 million in gross touring income, followed by Beyoncé at No. 2 ($188.6 million), and Pink at No. 3. ($170.6 million). Justin Bieber‘s $169.0 million gross sales lands the singer at No. 4, with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at No. 5 with $145.4 million for 2013.
For the full Top 20 rankings, visit Pollstar.com.
CMHOF Schedules Closings in January, February
/by Jessica NicholsonOn Jan. 26, the CMHOF will host a film screening of Oprah’s Master Class: Reba McEntire, which first aired on the Oprah Winfrey Network in 2012. The 45-minute screening will be held at 2 p.m. CT at the museum’s Ford Theater. The screening is free.
McEntire is the focus of the museum’s currently running exhibit entitled Reba: All The Women I Am. The exhibit, on display in the East Gallery, runs through June 8, 2014.
Free Market Royalty Act Rep Moves To Fed Finance Agency
/by Lorie HollabaughJerrold Nadler
Rep. Mel Watt (D-N.C.), the ranking member of the Judiciary subcommittee on intellectual property, has been confirmed as the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and will assume his new post Jan. 6, according to theHill.com. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) is next in line for Watt’s position on the intellectual property subcommittee according to procedure, if he wants the role.
Watt was known for the Free Market Royalty Act he co-sponsored, which would require radio stations to negotiate with musicians for the rights to play their songs. Currently, stations pay nothing to play songs, while cable, satellite and Internet radio services must pay royalties set by the Library of Congress’s Copyright Royalty Board. Opponents of the bill say radio provides musicians free advertising by playing the songs and that negotiations on song fees should happen in the free market.
Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) is currently co-sponsor of the bill, and following Watt’s departure, any member can take the lead with it or reintroduce it, according to a committee aide. Industry groups are reportedly voicing early support for Nadler, who is currently the ranking member on the Judiciary subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.