'American Idol' Season 12 Wraps; 2014 Judges Announced

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Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick, Jr., Keith Urban, Randy Jackson. Photos: Michael Becker (Connick, Jr.: James Minchin III)

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. 

BMG and Indie Primary Wave Form Alliance

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bmg logo22BMG and indie music company Primary Wave Music have entered into a joint venture that will focus on signing artists with a proven track record in the industry and releasing new album projects on them. Through the venture BMG will also purchase significant publishing interests currently owned by Primary Wave, including songs like Earth Wind & Fire’s “September,” Hall & Oates’ “Kiss On My List”, John Lennon’s “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and Marvin Gaye’s “How Sweet It Is,” and the two will sign and develop new writers and administer publishing catalogues.
Primary 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.”

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Capital Campaign Reaches $78 Million

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CMHOFThe Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum’s capital campaign has reached approximately $78 million, according to Museum Director Kyle Young. The capital campaign will finance the institution’s 200,000-square-foot expansion. Construction on the nearly $100 million project, which will expand the museum to more than 350,000 square feet, took shape in June 2011 and will be completed in March 2014. The campaign is still seeking the final $20 million needed to complete expansion funding.
Among the recent capital campaign gifts are donations from BlueCross® BlueShield® of Tennessee Health Foundation; BMI; City National Bank; the Dugas Family Foundation; the Gretsch family; Carl and Connie Haley; Hospital Corporation of America; the Memorial Foundation; and Will, Jan and Gary Overton.
During the silent phase of the capital campaign, titled Working on a Building: Country Music Lives Here, $56.8 million in cash and pledges were secured. More than $48 million of that total came from donors who contributed $1 million or more, including a lead gift of $6.5 million from Steve and Judy Turner. Since the campaign’s public kick-off in July 2011, previously announced gifts of $1 million or more include the Academy of Country Music, the Andrea Waitt Carlton Family Foundation, the Country Music Association, the Frist Foundation, the Ingram Charitable Fund, Inc. and Taylor Swift.
The new building will feature the Taylor Swift Education Center, which will include classroom spaces, a learning lab and an exhibit gallery; the ACM Gallery; the CMA theater, which seats 800; Hatch Show Print’s new home; an event hall; and more.
The Working on a Building campaign is led by Steve Turner, chairman of the museum’s board of officers and trustees; and honorary co-chairs Bill Ford, Ford Motor Company Executive Chairman, and Country Music Hall of Fame member Kris Kristofferson. For more information about the campaign, or to make a donation, visit workingonabuilding.org.

Kenny Rogers To Release 'You Can't Make Old Friends' in October

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kenny rogers you can't make old friendsLong-time friends Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton will reunite on Rogers’ upcoming album, You Can’t Make Old Friends, which is slated to release Oct. 8 on Warner Bros. Records. Parton and Rogers team for a duet on the album’s title track; 30 years ago, the two released “Islands In The Stream,” a mega-hit for the two entertainers that topped several sales charts and was certified platinum in the U.S. for shipping 2 million copies.
“What a thrill it was for me to work again with my buddy, Dolly Parton, and what a special song,” remarked Rogers. “Working with Dolly is always a little like going home. Everything felt comfortable.”
For the new project, he worked with producers Kyle Lehning, Warren Hartman and Dann Huff; You Can’t Make Old Friends marks Rogers’ first country album since 2006’s Water & Bridges. You Can’t Make Old Friends is available via digital download today (Sept. 3) at iTunes. Customers who pre-order the album can receive an instant download of the title track. Special pre-sale bundles are also being offered at kennyrogers.com.
Rogers will be touring the U.S. and Canada throughout the fall. Additionally, What Are The Chances, a novel Rogers co-wrote with Mike Blakely, releases today (Sept. 3); Rogers’ New York Times best-selling autobiography, Luck Or Something Like It, will be released in paperback on Sept. 27.
The track listing for You Can’t Make Old Friends is available below:
1. You Can’t Make Old Friends (Duet With Dolly Parton)
2. All I Need Is One
3. You Had To Be There
4. ’Merica
5. Turn This World Around
6. Dreams Of The San Joaquin
7. Don’t Leave Me In The Night Time (Featuring Buckwheat Zydeco)
8. Look At You
9. Neon Horses
10. When You Love Someone
11. It’s Gonna Be Easy Now

Artist Updates (8-30-13)

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jake owen days of gold1Jake Owen will give a special preview of his “Days of Gold” music video during College Football’s first primetime game of the season on Saturday (Aug. 31). The Georgia Bulldogs will take on the Clemson Tigers; the game airs on ABC at 8 p.m. ET.
“Going to college football games, tailgating and living it up with friends is right on track with what ‘Days of Gold’ is all about. I’m excited for the song to be a part of this season’s opening weekend,” shares Jake.

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Dakota Bradley

Dakota Bradley


Dakota Bradley has released an exclusive track, “Memory Or Me,” to fans via Glamour magazine through the magazine’s website, glamour.com. The song is a sentimental ballad about the struggle of letting go of a former flame. The mag’s Anna Moeslein had this to say about the newcomer: “Commit Dakota Bradley to your memory. He’s cute, talented, and has the support of country-heavyweights—his forthcoming 2013 full-length album is co-produced by Tim McGraw. The 20-year-old is going to be a star, I tell ya.”
Bradley wrote or co-wrote eight of the songs on his upcoming debut CD, including “Cherry Bomb,” a song he penned with Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard.
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Tracy Lawrence recently stopped by for a guest appearance on HLN’s Morning Express with Robin Meade on Thursday (Aug. 29), to discuss his new album Headlights, Taillights, and Radios. Lawrence performed the track “Butterfly,” and shared that he was inspired to write the song after the Joplin, Mo. tornado crisis.
Pictured (L-R): Tracy Lawrence, Robin Meade

Pictured (L-R): Tracy Lawrence, HLN’s Robin Meade

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RPM Entertainment’s Maggie Rose recently traveled to the Middle East to perform several shows for the U.S. military. Rose toured an undisclosed military base, performing her music for the troops. She even got a glimpse at what life in a special ops K9 unit is like, which she shared via Instagram.

Maggie Rose performs for members of the U.S. military.

Maggie Rose performs for members of the U.S. military.


 

Randy Houser Scores First Platinum Digital Single

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RH_CntryFeels_cvr_5x511111Randy Houser‘s recent single, “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight,” has been certified platinum by the RIAA for sales of one million units. This marks Houser’s first platinum digital single, following his recent gold-certified song, “How Country Feels.”
“I can’t even begin to thank everyone for their support,” said Houser. “Country music fans are the greatest fans in the world!”
Houser will be singing his platinum single throughout the summer and fall at fairs and festivals, before joining Justin Moore and Josh Thompson in November as part of Moore’s Off The Beaten Path Tour. For more information, visit randyhouser.com.

Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum To Host Job Fair

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countrymusichalloffame
The Country Music Hall Of Fame and Museum and Hatch Show Print will host a job fair on Wednesday, Sept. 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The fair will be held in the museum’s Curb Conservatory and include more than 200 available positions in guest relations, ticketing, retail, special events, catering, food services, operations and more.
Attendees are required to bring copies of their completed application, which is available at countrymusichalloffame.org/employment. Resumes are also encouraged. To view full job descriptions and requirements, click here.

'MusicRow' No. 1 Song

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It-Goes-Like-ThisIf you asked Thomas Rhett how to get to the No. 1 spot of the MusicRow Chart this week, he’d probably have to show you and say, “It Goes Like This.”
Although the lyrics speak of love, The Valory Music Co. singer has taken a song by that title––written by his father Rhett Atkins, Jimmy Robbins and Ben Hayslip––to the peak of our chart this week. This is Rhett’s first time to reign on the MusicRow chart.
And if you want to hear more of the tune, you’re in luck! The song has been announced as the title track off of Rhett’s full length debut, to be released Sept. 29. In the meantime, fans can catch the newcomer’s live show on the road through November with Jason Aldean’s Night Train Tour.
Watch the video for Rhett’s “It Goes Like This” below.

YouTube video

Industry Ink (8-30-13)

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Warner/Chappell Music has signed a worldwide co-publishing agreement with singer/songwriter Jason Matthews. Matthews has penned songs for artists such as Luke Bryan, Billy Currington, Chris Young, Jake Owen, and Blake Shelton. In 2006, he earned a No. 1 song with Currington’s “Must Be Doin’ Somethin’ Right.” He was also named MusicRow magazine’s Breakthrough Writer of the Year in 2006.

Pictured (Front row): Jason Matthews. Pictured (Back row): Steve Markland (W/C), Blain Rhodes (W/C), Ben Vaughn (W/C), Phil May (W/C).

Pictured (Front row): Jason Matthews. Pictured (Back row): Steve Markland (W/C), Blain Rhodes (W/C), Ben Vaughn (W/C), Phil May (W/C).

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Randy Stark

Randy Stark


On Ramp Records has hired industry veteran Randy Stark as Managing Director, where he will be responsible for managing and coordinating label operations, as well as providing radio promotion services. Stark has served as VP, Marketing and Promotion for Warner Music Canada, has directed the artist management company Stark Ravings (including artists Jason Blaine and Clayton Bellamy), and has worked as President at the Canadian Country Music Association. Stark is a past director of the Country Music Association in Nashville. He is also currently Director at the Country Music Association of Ontario.
“Adding Randy to the On Ramp family signifies our continued commitment to growing our label operations,” commented  On Ramp Records President and owner Louis O’Reilly. “His broad industry experience and success at radio will strengthen our position as a leading label services company.”

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Mysti Meese

Mysti Meese


Country Radio Seminar has announced the creation of a new Marketing Coordinator position, to expand the service and support the Brand Marketing and Strategic Partnerships department. Recent Belmont University graduate Mysti Meese will fill the coordinator role beginning Sept. 9. Beginning Sept. 9, Meese can be reached at mysti@countryradioseminar.com or at 615-327-4487.
 

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This fall, Belmont University will take part in Creative Connection, allowing four juniors a unique internship program designed to connect students with industry companies and help them establish familiarity and relationships in different facets of the industry. Those facets include publishing, administration, artist management and business management. The students will work with Creative Nation, Words and Music, Crush Management and The Kella Stephensen Company, respectively.
Students Markus Hwang, Jen Duke, Eric LaFontsee and Elle Hussey have been selected to participate in the program, and will intern with each company for three weeks, before rotating to the next. Each semester will feature a brief training camp at Creative Nation to launch the program and will sum up the semester with a group meeting at Creative Nation.

Pictured: First row: Marc Rucker (Crush Management), Kelsey Granda (Creative Nation), Eric LaFontsee Second row: Markus Hwang, Jen Duke, Jill Curry (Kella Stephenson Company), Beth Laird (Creative Nation), Elle Hussey.Back row: Andrew Cohen (Crush Management), Brandi Surface (Words and Music), Tricia Procter (Words and Music) and Julie Stuckey (Creative Nation).

Pictured: First row: Marc Rucker (Crush Management), Kelsey Granda (Creative Nation), Eric LaFontsee.
Second row: Markus Hwang, Jen Duke, Jill Curry (Kella Stephenson Company), Beth Laird (Creative Nation), Elle Hussey. Back row: Andrew Cohen (Crush Management), Brandi Surface (Words and Music), Tricia Proctor (Words and Music) and Julie Stuckey (Creative Nation).

 

Memphis Hall of Fame Inductees To Be Revealed Sept. 10

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image007The Memphis Music Hall of Fame will announce its 2013 inductees at a special press conference set for Sept. 10 at the new Jerry Lee Lewis Café and Honky Tonk on Beale St.
Thirteen artists will be inducted this year, bringing the total count of Hall of Famers thus far to 38. Inductees are selected by a national nominating committee of authors, music historians, national educators, and music community members. This year’s nominees will be inducted at the official Induction Ceremony and Celebration Nov. 7 at the Gibson Showcase Lounge at Memphis’ Gibson Guitar Factory in downtown Memphis.
The Memphis Hall of Fame was launched in 2012, with Elvis, Otis Redding, B.B. King, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. and the MG’s, Al Green, and W.C. Handy among its first class of inductees. Each inductee receives the Mike Curb Award and their own tribute page on the Memphis Hall of Fame’s website. The Hall of Fame is administered by the Memphis Rock ‘N’ Soul Museum.
Tickets for the Memphis Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will go on sale Sept. 10. For more information, visit memphisrocknsoul.org.