CMA To Stream Songwriters Series Concert Featuring Lambert, Moore

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cmasongwriters1The CMA Songwriters Series, featuring Miranda Lambert, Kip Moore, Brett James, and Bob DiPiero, who will also serve as the evening’s host, will be streamed live on CMAsongwritersseries.com from the Royale Boston Nightclub in Boston, Mass.
The event will begin Thursday (July 11) at 6:30 p.m. CT.
 
 

Cassetty Entertainment, McCreery Part Ways

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scotty mccreeryCassetty Entertainment has filed suit against former artist management client Scotty McCreery. According to the Nashville Post, the suit alleges that McCreery never paid Cassetty for services rendered.
Industry veteran Todd Cassetty launched his management company in October 2012 with McCreery as the first client, but the parties never signed an official agreement. The suit claims McCreery was supposed to pay 15 percent of his gross revenue for management services.
A statement by the singer says, “There is no truth to these allegations. I have offered to pay Todd more than once, but he wanted an unreasonable amount for only five months of work. Anyone who knows me knows how I conduct myself, so I am not worried they will believe any of this. This is just an attempt to embarrass me and my family. The facts will come out when we have our day in court.”
Cassetty formed the management enterprise after stepping away from his day-to-day roles with respected digital marketing firm Hi-Fi Fusion and television production company Todd Cassetty Welding Service, where he worked with numerous superstars and major labels.

Ronnie Dunn Forms Label, Releases Single

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L to R: Diane Monk, VP Promotion for HitShop Records, Ronnie Dunn, and Skip Bishop, President of HitShop Records.

Ronnie Dunn and the HitShop team (L-R): Diane Monk, VP Promotion; Dunn; and Skip Bishop, President


Ronnie Dunn is launching his own label, Little Will-E, to release single, “Kiss You There.” The track was already sent to country radio and is set to officially impact July 29. It is being promoted through a deal with HitShop Records.
HitShop is distributed by Warner Music Nashville and part of the Ramblin Music Group, whose holdings include Young Guns Publishing.
“This partnership is a slam dunk, natural evolution of our belief in Ronnie’s unmatched talent,” shares Skip Bishop, President of HitShop Records. “He is undoubtedly the most recognizable voice in Country music and has raised the bar with new remarkable, cutting-edge material and production! Ronnie’s contemporary musical brilliance is a perfect match for HitShop’s new model.”
“Kiss You There” was written by Don Schlitz and Josh Kear and produced by Dunn and Jeff Balding, Executive Vice President of Little Will-E Records.
Dunn’s “Country This” and “Kiss You There” can be downloaded exclusively on iTunes.

C.F. Martin & Co. And Ed Sheeran Unveil Collaboration

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martin strings11C.F. Martin & Co. will unveil the latest Artist Signature Edition from the Custom Shop during this year’s Summer NAMM conference, which is slated for July 11-13 at Nashville’s Music City Center. The LX1E Ed Sheeran Signature Edition was designed in collaboration with the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. The guitar features Sheeran’s personal artistic details on the headstock, including his signature fluorescent orange “+” plus sign and “est. 1991,” which represents the name of his platinum-selling album and year Sheeran was born respectively. Additionally, the “+” plus sign logo is laser-etched on the solid sapele top, which signifies the title of his platinum-selling debut album.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this model will be donated to East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, a UK-based charity Sheeran supports. The organization cares for young children and young people with life-threatening conditions and provides services across several UK counties, including Suffolk, where Sheeran was raised.

Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran


“It was a huge privilege to have the opportunity to collaborate with Martin Guitar,” said Sheeran. “I have been a fan of Martin since I started playing guitar and songwriting, and I am honored to have a Signature Edition that bears my own personal imprint. All of the royalties from every purchase from my Signature Edition will go to the East Anglia Children’s Hospices. I can’t wait to get on stage and perform with it for my fans – I hope they enjoy my new Martin as much as I do!”
“We are so proud to have such a prolific and credible artist as Ed Sheeran join the Martin Guitar family,” said Amani Duncan, Vice President of Brand Marketing for Martin. “One of our marketing objectives at Martin is to spread our dynamic culture, history and brand to new consumers worldwide and Ed is the perfect Ambassador to help us achieve this. We cannot wait to present our latest collaborative Artist Signature Edition to his fans and ours across the world this summer.”
Following an industry unveiling at Summer NAMM on July 11, Ed Sheeran will unveil his LX1E Ed Sheeran Signature Edition to his U.S. fan base when he performs on the Today Show Summer Concert series on Friday July 12. Fans can catch Sheeran and his new Martin model on the road through the end of 2013 with tour mate Taylor Swift.

Randy Travis Hospitalized

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randy travisRandy Travis has been admitted to a Texas hospital and is listed in critical condition. The 54-year-old Grammy winner is suffering from complications of recently acquired viral cardiomyopathy. Travis was admitted into the medical facility yesterday. Cardiomyopathy is a disease that weakens and enlarges the heart muscle. Cardiomyopathy makes it harder for your heart to pump blood and deliver it to the rest of your body.
Randy Travis is best known for “Three Wooden Crosses,” “Forever and Ever, Amen,” “Diggin’ Up Bones,” and “Deeper Than the Holler.”

Songwriter Johnny MacRae Dies at 84

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JohnnyMacRae

John MacRae


Songwriter Johnny MacRae died on Wednesday, July 3 at his home in Ashland City, Tenn., after suffering from heart disease. MacRae was 84 years old.
The songwriter is known for country hits like Conway Twitty’s “I’d Just Love To Lay You Down,” Doug Stone‘s “I’d Be Better Off In A Pine Box” and Reba McEntire’s “(You Lift Me) Up To Heaven.”
In lieu of a funeral, MacRae’s wife Mary will hold a celebration of life service for her late husband on Oct. 19 in Ashland City, Tenn.

Weblinks: 'Wall Street Journal' Highlights Average Joes

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mud diggerThere’s hardly a news outlet that brings more business cred than the Wall Street Journal. Last week the publication spotlighted the growing hick-hop genre, focusing largely on the success of Average Joes, home to artists Colt Ford, Lenny Cooper, the LACS, and the Mud Digger compilations.
The story examines the importance of live performance income, deals that placed the indie label’s albums in Wal-Marts despite across-the-board dwindling physical sales, and the use of Pandora’s “heat maps” to show where listeners were streaming the genre.
• • • •
Three characters on Nashville have been promoted to series regulars for the upcoming second season. According to The Hollywood Reporter, viewers can expect to see more of sisters Lennon and Maisy Stella, who play Rayna’s daughters, and Chris Carmack, who appears as “Will.”
Refresher: Will is a singer/songwriter cowboy who is struggling with his sexuality. Also, at the end of the last season, it was revealed that Deacon is Maddie’s (Lennon Stella) father.
No shocker here, but executive producer Callie Khouri told TV Guide that Rayna and Deacon will survive the car crash from the first season finale. For more behind-the-scenes info, follow the writers on their new Twitter account @Nashvillewrites.
• • • •
Wondering what really happened to The Civil Wars, who are about to release a new album despite being on extended hiatus due to “internal discord”? Half of the duo, Joy Williams, sat down with the New York Times to discuss the situation. She and musical partner John Paul White are not speaking, and there are no plans for a tour. She tells the newspaper that tensions built over time, until they reached an impasse. The album is scheduled for release Aug. 6.

Florida Georgia Line To Launch Headlining Tour in October

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FGL Headlining Tour111Florida Georgia Line will embark on their first headlining tour, beginning in October. Tour dates were announced, but cities and venues were not revealed. The duo’s Here’s To The Good Times Tour 2013 will run from Oct. 3 through Dec. 14. The tour will feature guests Colt Ford, Tyler Farr and Dallas Smith (on select dates).
Details will be announced July 15, but one tour stop has already been revealed. The duo will bring the headlining show to Lexington, Ky. on Oct. 19 at Whitaker Bank Ballpark.

Kacey Musgraves Joins Oreo Cookies 'Wonderfilled' Campaign

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Kacey Musgraves

Kacey Musgraves


Kacey Musgraves recently partnered with OREO cookies for their ‘Wonderfilled’ campaign, where she sang vocals on their newest spot, entitled “Daydream.” The advertisement launched on television on Monday, July 8.
The Texas native puts her own spin on “Daydream” (lyrics and melody by The Martin Agency’s David Muhlenfeld). Wonder if I gave an Oreo/To this cute guy that I used to know, she sings in the wistful clip. Would he have dumped his girlfriend/Typed that email and hit send/Would it not have ended like it did?/Would we now have kids?
Watch the spot below:
http://youtu.be/LeBvy4VFStQ

Travis Tritt To Release 'The Calm After…' On July 9

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travistritt_2013cdcvr_h
On July 9, Travis Tritt will release his first album in six years, entitled The Calm After… The album’s title reflects Tritt’s legal woes with his now defunct previous label. The project will release on the singer’s Post Oak Recordings.
“I feel so humbled and blessed to be where I am right now,” says Tritt. “My voice has never been stronger, I’m constantly playing and working to become a better guitar player, banjo player, vocalist and songwriter. I am honestly as excited about the creative process and performing now as I was the day I signed my first record deal.”
The album features a duet with Tritt’s 15-year-old daughter Tyler Reese on the single “Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough,” a remake of the Patty Smyth and Don Henley song. Tritt’s daughter will join the singer at certain venues on his ongoing tour.
Upcoming tour dates are listed below:
July 12—Seven Clans Casino—Thief River Falls, Minn.
July 13—St. Croix Casino—Turtle Lake, Wis.
July 18—Freedom Hall—Sterling Heights, Mich.
July 19—Chautauqua Institute—Chautauqua, N.Y.
July 20*—Beckley YMCA Sports Complex—Beckley, W.Va.
Aug. 1—Campbell Country Fair—Gillette, Wy.
Aug. 2—Butte Silver Bow County Fair—Butte, Mont.
Aug. 3—Big Valley Jamboree—Camrose, Canada
Aug. 8—Tillamook County Fair—Tillamook, Ore.
Aug. 9—Umatilla County Fair—Hermiston, Ore.
Aug. 16—Havelock Country Jamboree—Havelock, ON
Aug. 30—Fort Randall CasinoPickstown, S.D.
Sept. 7*—Vermont State Fair—Rutland, Vt.
Sept. 13—Riverwind Casino—Norman, Okla.
Sept. 15*— B100 Birthday Bash—South Bend, Ind.
Sept. 19— PACE Center—Parker, Colo.
Sept. 20—  Sky Ute Casino Events Center—Ignacio, Colo.
Sept. 21—Cattle Baron’s Ball 2013—Eaton, Colo.
Sept. 27 — Margaritaville Resort Casino—Bossier City, La.
Sept. 28* —Hot Springs Balloon Festival—Hot Springs, Ark.
Oct. 3—Bucks County Playhouse—New Hope, Pa.
Oct. 4—Renaissance Theatre—Mansfield, Ohio
Oct. 5—The Newton Theatre—Newton, N.J.
Oct. 6 —The Ridgefield Playhouse—Ridgefield, Conn.
Oct. 12— Austin County Fair—Bellville, Texas
Oct. 19—Mark G Etess Arena—Atlantic City, N.J.
Oct. 26—Pensacola Interstate Fair—Pensacola, Fla.
Oct. 27*—Florida State Hog Rally—Ft. Walton Beach, Fla.
Oct. 28*—Pensacola Fair—Pensacola, Fla.
Nov. 1—Strathmore—North Bethesda, Md.
Nov. 2—New Barn Theater—Mount Vernon, Ky.
Nov. 9*—Founder’s Day Festival—Ocoee, Fla.
* indicates a Tyler Reese guest appearance