
Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick, Jr., Keith Urban, Randy Jackson. Photos: Michael Becker (Connick, Jr.: James Minchin III)
Season 12 of
American Idol officially concluded in Nashville over the 2013 Labor Day weekend (Aug. 31) when the final show of the
Idol Live! tour stopped at the Bridgestone Arena. Appropriately, official announcements from FOX today (Sept. 3) confirmed Season 13 judges.
Jennifer Lopez will return to the 2014 judging panel, as well as the recently
announced Keith Urban, in addition to freshman host
Harry Connick, Jr.
Randy Jackson, a long-time judge on the show, will be an in-house mentor this season. Urban, whose new album
Fuse hits stores on Sept. 10, said of the upcoming season, “I think this season of IDOL is gonna be a blast. New team, new energy and a whole new field of artists to be discovered and given a chance!”
Auditions will be filmed in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Detroit, Omaha, Neb., Salt Lake City and San Francisco before
American Idol XIII debuts in January 2014 on FOX with longtime host
Ryan Seacrest. Universal Music Group’s Interscope Records will continue to release IDOL winner and contestant music.
Although there weren’t any surprise appearances by the celebrity judges at the Bridgestone on Saturday, pre-recorded video segments from the Season 12 celebrities helped the performances roll along. Since the tour began on July 19, attendees have been treated to a taste of what it’s like to see their
Idol favorites perform in person. Top 10 performers, including two Country singers
Kree Harrison and
Janelle Arthur, offered the audience a taste of many current Top 40 titles. Harrison, 22, has lived in Nashville for years recording demos and background vocals; she performed
Patty Griffin’s “Up To The Mountain,” the
Alabama Shakes’ “Hold On,” and her latest single “All Cried Out.” Arthur, a 23-year-old Tennessee native, performed a rendition of
The Band Perry’s “Better Dig Two,” and Urban’s “Where The Blacktop Ends.”
19 Entertainment and AEG Live promoted the 30-show tour.
Sea Gayle Music Taps Wizer As VP, Creative
/by Jessica NicholsonFreeman Wizer
Sea Gayle Music has added Freeman Wizer as VP, Creative, according to the company’s Executive VP/GM Marc Driskill. Previously, Wizer worked with the creative team at Universal Music Publishing Group in Nashville for nine years.
“I’m extremely excited to be a part of the Sea Gayle team and for this new opportunity,” says Wizer. “I am certain we have a very exciting and productive future ahead of us at Sea Gayle.”
Nashville-based music publishing company Sea Gayle Music was established in 1999.
Macy Martin – Me With You
/by contributorHer positive, wholesome messages embedded into her songwriting are delivered with an equally irresistible pure vocal quality leaving her listeners wanting more from this Native Texas Artist! Macy is definitely not your typical 16 year old teenager! She remembers enjoying her musical talent as early as 6 years old entertaining for the Miss Texas/ Miss America Organization during their preliminary intermissions to Disney Classics. At the age of 13 she began singing for her school the National Anthem and quickly began spreading her talent to other organizations seeking her to perform; The Special Olympics, Texas Children’s, Ronald Mc Donald House, among others.
Local venues began to ask her to perform at community events, festivals and fairs in the Texas area. This lead to meeting other artists and members in the Texas Music Industry, opening other opportunities up for young Macy to perform on stage. She rapidly advanced singing in her High School Senior Chorale Choir making all State Division One singing Italian Opera as a 1st Soprano. Macy has a beautiful angelic, pure vocal quality possessing an unbelievable vibrato sure to mesmerize her listeners when she releases her unique ability , but don’t let that fool you as this 16 year old vocal talent has an amazing range to fit any genre’. She has grown up on her parent’s Central Texas Ranch “ The Triple M”. Macy laughs and say’s Texas women can saddle a horse all day and in a short time transform into evening gowns, pearls and stilettos to attend a Texas-Size Gala and be as elegant as a Princess!
Macy’s has been singing in her Cowboy Church Band where she had to opportunity to utilize her faith and musical talent combined feeding her inspiration to pursue her Country Music Career and touch the hearts and lives of others. Macy say’s that her heavenly father is the provider in all that she is and gifted by his will and she will never lose sight of him through her life’s journey. She says that it is his purpose for her music to touch the hearts and lives of all that hear her songs and the messages embedded within them in a positive, enlightening way. Macy says undoubtedly it is by his will that she was able to cut her first original duet two volume album in Dallas, Texas!
A self published collection of 11 pure country songs of the late Bob Millsap and other song writers. She also completed her other six song duet bluegrass and Celtic gospel release. It was through this two volume collection that Kent Wells and Christine Winslow of Kent Wells Productions (Dolly Parton) and associates saw the raw talent and potential of this young artist. Macy says that they are her Nashville Family and she is blessed beyond measure to not only have the opportunities presenting but to have such amazing individuals place trust, faith, belief and devotion in her… to grow her talent and potential into something beyond measure! She is truly blessed and truly amazed! With all of this in place and Macy’s impeccable work ethic and passion to reach out to her audience and serve through her music and with an incredible team of individuals there is nothing short of a success story unfolding! Again she knows God’s hand is leading her path to his purpose.
Macy has released her Debut Ep Album currently to Nashville and Music Row with GTR and Kent Wells Productions . Her single off the album “Me With You” is fresh and sure to leave her listeners smiling. Macy’s a breath of fresh air and sure to fill the hearts of many as they encounter and embrace her pure, uplifting and real personality and talent! Macy recently while in Nashville has finished co-writing and recorded four new singles pair up with James Dean Hicks, Bill Di Luigi and Jordan Anderson due to release throughout 2014 under the production of Kent Wells and GTR. She is headed back working on 6 more new songs ( one she co- wrote while on her summer Music Row Radio Tour through the Mid-West with Bill Di Luigi. She is also discussing the Making of a Music Video soon. There is no dust settling under this young, rising Nashville Artist! We know Nashville and America’s Country fans will love her and her music as much as we do!
Be sure to go to www.macymartinmusic.com and follow her radio tour dates this summer and tab on Macy’s Toy Box to learn more about Macy’s charitable foundation and different ways how you can take part in assisting her to reach out and help children in need!
MTSU Teams With Mark Montgomery For New Course
/by Michael_SmithMark Montgomery
Music and tech entrepreneur Mark Montgomery has created a course called “The New Music Business” for Middle Tennessee State University’s Department of Recording Industry. Montgomery will teach the course, which will explore the relationship between music and technology.
In 1999, Montgomery co-founded the firm echomusic, which he sold to IAC in 2007. After exiting in 2009, he worked as the Entrepreneur-in-Residence for Claritas Capital. Besides helping to launch the Nashville Entrepreneur Center and the Music City Music Council, Montgomery is currently working on projects for Google and YouTube. He is also the CEO of Kenny Chesney’s spirits company, Fishbowl Spirits. Montgomery recently founded FLO {thinkery}, a think tank and investment firm.
The idea for the new course was created during the most recent Leadership Nashville program. Montgomery and Beverly Keel, chair of MTSU’s Recording Industry program, are both graduates of Leadership Nashville’s Class of 2013. Montgomery and Keel are also both graduates of Leadership Music’s Class of 2001 and 2006, respectively.
“Mark is a big-picture visionary, a business rebel and a straight shooter who is known from Music Row to Silicon Valley and beyond,” says Keel. “I know this will be a class that our students will never forget. ”
Production Music Association Appoints Hunter Williams As Executive Director
/by Jessica NicholsonHunter Williams
The Production Music Association, which promotes and protects the interest and rights of publishers and composers of production music for use in film, television, radio and new media, has appointed Hunter Williams to the position of Executive Director. Williams, who will be based in Nashville, replaces Debra Young Krizman, who continues with the PMA in her new role as VP, Operations.
“We are very excited to have long time industry veteran, Hunter Williams, as our new PMA Executive Director,” said PMA Chairman Randy Thornton. “Hunter brings a wide range of skills and experience that will most certainly help elevate the PMA to the next level in its continuing mission to protect the value of music in the eyes of those who license it for productions. We look forward to working closely with him to help advance the PMA’s core values which we believe are key to the long term success of our industry.”
Prior to joining the PMA, Williams spent 20 years at SESAC, most recently in the position of Sr. VP, Strategic Development/Distribution and Research Operations.
“Production music is the sonic life-blood of so many TV shows, movies, commercials, promos, and other audio and audio-visual productions,” said Williams. “I’m honored to take on this role to help further the interests of the many PMA-member music libraries and composers, and to help ensure that their music is properly valued in today’s rapidly changing music economy. I look forward to working with Debra and the Board to develop successful strategies for propelling the production music industry forward in a healthy and sustainable way.”
The Production Music Association is a non-profit, volunteer organization comprising of over 600 member companies including major label publishers, national independents and small boutique libraries. The PMA provides education, support and advocacy on behalf of the production music community.
Mark Your Calendar – September 2013
/by Eric T. ParkerSeptember 2
Steve Holy/Radio Up/Curb
Hunter Hayes feat. Jason Mraz/Everybody’s Got Somebody But Me/Atlantic-WMN
September 3
Tim Sweeney/Baby I Try For You/Oil House Records
Jared Daniels/Foot On the Dashboard/Shade Records
September 9
American Young/Love Is War/Curb
Brothers Osborne/Let’s Go There/EMI Nashville
Chris Janson/Cut Me Some Slack/Bigger Picture
Striking Matches/Trouble Is As Trouble Does/Crush-Pear Trees Suck Records
Jo Dee Messina/Peace Sign/Dreambound
Kevin Fowler/How Country Are Ya?/Kevin Fowler
September 16
Derek Anthony/Cowboy Way/B L U A N T Music Group
Jamie Stever/Make My Day/Tri-Mount Entertainment
Colton James/101 Proof/Nine North
Payton Taylor/Small Town Paradise/Payton Taylor
September 23
Sara Evans/Slow Me Down/RCA Nashville
Randy Houser/Goodnight Kiss/Stoney Creek Records
September 3
Craig Morgan/The Journey-Livin’ Hits/Black River Entertainment
Sandra Boyton/Frog Trouble/WMN
September 10
Keith Urban/Fuse/Hit Red Records-Capitol Records Nashville
Sheryl Crow/Feels Like Home/Warner Bros.
George Jones/Amazing Grace/Bandit Records
Jimmy Webb/Still Within the Sound of My Voice/eOne Music
Steve Wariner/It Ain’t All Bad/SelecTone Records
Peter Cooper/Opening Day/Red Beet Records
September 17
Billy Currington/We Are Tonight/Mercury Records
Chris Young/A.M./RCA
Justin Moore/Off The Beaten Path/The Valory Music Co.
Tim O’Brien and Darrell Scott/Moments & Memories/Full Skies
Various/High Cotton: A Tribute to Alabama/Lightning Rod Records
Del McCoury Band/Streets of Baltimore/McCoury Music
September 24
Sammy Hagar/Sammy Hagar and Friends/Frontiers Records
Kings Of Leon/Mechanical Bull/RCA
Alan Jackson/The Bluegrass Album/ACR
Willie Nelson/To All The Girls
September 30
Tyler Farr/Redneck Crazy/Columbia
September 6
Applications due for 2014 CRS Hall of Fame
September 8
2013 Canadian Country Music Association Awards in Edmonton
September 10
September 18
Americana Music Honors & Awards live from the Ryman Auditorium, broadcast live on AXS TV
September 18-22
Americana Music Festival, Nashville
September 19
2013 National Association of Broadcasters Marconi Radio Awards Dinner at the 2013 Radio Show convention at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando, FL
September 21-22
First Annual Music City Eats: Nashville Food, Wine and Spirits Festival
September 22
65th EMMYS on CBS at 8 ET
September 24
2013 SOURCE Awards at the Musician’s Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville
September 25
Nashville Season 2 Premiere on ABC-TV
September 26
CRS Battle of the Bands from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. at 3rd & Lindsley in Nashville
September 27-28
Flying Island Entertainment Restructures
/by Jessica Nicholson“Due to the climate in today’s mainstream record industry, we have decided to broaden our scope and diversify operations as we continue to develop opportunities for our roster,” Eckert said.
Contact information for promo staffers looking for their next opportunity includes:
Shelia Shipley Biddy, (615) 478-8480, ssbiddy@comcast.net
Jill Tomalty, (615) 300-3239, jilltomalty@yahoo.com,
Bonita Allen, (615) 689-2982, bonitaallen@bellsouth.net
Dan Matthews, (208) 949-7001, danmatthewsdj@gmail.com.
Artist Photos (9-3-13)
/by Jessica NicholsonFlorida Georgia Line performed during TODAY’s Toyota Concert Series yesterday (Sept. 2) on NBC. Live from Rockefeller Plaza, the duo kicked off Labor Day morning with a collaboration with Nelly on a remix of “Cruise,” which has sold over 5.5 million downloads. FGL’s Tyler Hubbard (Monroe, Ga.) and Brian Kelley (Ormond Beach, Fla.) closed out the set with their gold-certified hit “Round Here.”
Florida Georgia Line perform at Today’s Toyota Concert Series. Photo: Troy Johnson
• • •
Craig Campbell recently took part in the Country Music Hall of Fame‘s Summer Concert Series “Hot Nights in the Hall” and produced one of the highest turn-outs to date to the members-only event. The Country Music Hall of Fame also garnered over 25 new members as a result of Craig’s participation in the series.
Craig Campbell performs as part of the Country Music Hall of Fame’s “Hot Nights in the Hall” series.
• • •
Brett Eldredge celebrated his first chart-topping single, “Don’t Ya,” by jumping out of an airplane on Tuesday (Aug. 27) at Skydive Tullahoma in Tullahoma, Tenn. He was joined by family, management, WMN staff, TV and radio personality Storme Warren, USA Today’s Brian Mansfield, AXS Live’s Ashley Eicher and other lucky jumpers. “Don’t Ya” is off of Eldredge’s debut studio album, Bring You Back, which was released Aug. 6 on Atlantic Records.
Pictured: Brett Eldredge with USA Today’s Brian Mansfield, TV/radio personality Storme Warren, AXS Live’s Ashley Eicher, friends, family, management, WMN staff, and other lucky jumpers just prior to his first skydive in celebration of his first No. 1 single “Don’t Ya.”
• • •
Sheryl Crow takes a break prior to releasing her debut country project, Feels Like Home, which releases Sept. 10.
Sheryl Crow vacations at Legoland in Florida ahead of the Sept. 10 debut of her first country album, Feels Like Home.
Keith Urban To Perform Club Shows In Nashville
/by Jessica NicholsonLocal Country radio stations have recently hinted at an upcoming Urban performance in Music City. Fans can learn how to reserve a seat at one of Urban’s shows by listening to WSIX “The Big 98,” WSM 95.5 FM and WKDF.
'American Idol' Season 12 Wraps; 2014 Judges Announced
/by Eric T. ParkerJennifer Lopez, Harry Connick, Jr., Keith Urban, Randy Jackson. Photos: Michael Becker (Connick, Jr.: James Minchin III)
Season 12 of American Idol officially concluded in Nashville over the 2013 Labor Day weekend (Aug. 31) when the final show of the Idol Live! tour stopped at the Bridgestone Arena. Appropriately, official announcements from FOX today (Sept. 3) confirmed Season 13 judges.
Jennifer Lopez will return to the 2014 judging panel, as well as the recently announced Keith Urban, in addition to freshman host Harry Connick, Jr. Randy Jackson, a long-time judge on the show, will be an in-house mentor this season. Urban, whose new album Fuse hits stores on Sept. 10, said of the upcoming season, “I think this season of IDOL is gonna be a blast. New team, new energy and a whole new field of artists to be discovered and given a chance!”
Auditions will be filmed in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Detroit, Omaha, Neb., Salt Lake City and San Francisco before American Idol XIII debuts in January 2014 on FOX with longtime host Ryan Seacrest. Universal Music Group’s Interscope Records will continue to release IDOL winner and contestant music.
Although there weren’t any surprise appearances by the celebrity judges at the Bridgestone on Saturday, pre-recorded video segments from the Season 12 celebrities helped the performances roll along. Since the tour began on July 19, attendees have been treated to a taste of what it’s like to see their Idol favorites perform in person. Top 10 performers, including two Country singers Kree Harrison and Janelle Arthur, offered the audience a taste of many current Top 40 titles. Harrison, 22, has lived in Nashville for years recording demos and background vocals; she performed Patty Griffin’s “Up To The Mountain,” the Alabama Shakes’ “Hold On,” and her latest single “All Cried Out.” Arthur, a 23-year-old Tennessee native, performed a rendition of The Band Perry’s “Better Dig Two,” and Urban’s “Where The Blacktop Ends.”
19 Entertainment and AEG Live promoted the 30-show tour.
BMG and Indie Primary Wave Form Alliance
/by Lorie HollabaughPrimary Wave’s in-house marketing team will act as the marketing arm for the artists signed to BMG/Primary Wave Artist Services and the venture will add radio promotion capabilities to Primary Wave’s creative team. Primary Wave’s marketing team will continue to be involved in marketing those catalog songs BMG is acquiring, and the deal will add even more heft to Primary Wave’s current departments, including their talent management division, digital marketing team BrightShop, brand marketing company Brand Synergy Group, and Primary Wave TV, the TV/Film production & development team. All artists signed to management or publishing with the new endeavor will also be able to tap into the various in-house resources. Currently, Primary Wave manages artists CeeLo Green, Eric Benet, Natalie Imbruglia, Ginuwine, Trevor Jackson, Goodie Mob and many other bands, writers, and producers.
“The US remains the heartland of and biggest single market in the worldwide music industry,” BMG’s CEO, Hartwig Masuch said. “This strategic alliance with Primary Wave, one of the most respected independents in the business, gives us control of some of the greatest copyrights in popular music in one stroke, while also strengthening our marketing resources in promoting new recordings. And from the writer’s perspective, we are confident this deal will open up many new opportunities for the international exploitation of these iconic songs through our pro-active BMG team.”