CMT, MTV and VH1 To Air “Music Independence Day”

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cmt
Viacom’s CMT, MTV and VH1 networks will celebrate our nation’s birthday with “Music Independence Day,” a program showcasing established and emerging artists, set to air on July 4 from 5 a.m.–5 p.m. CST.
CMT will air several genres of music, ranging from contemporary to bluegrass, and will feature artists The Lumineers, Brandy Clark, Ella Mae Bowen, John & Jacob, Maggie Rose, Striking Matches, Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood.
CMT will also introduce fans to Luella and the Sun and accept donations to help rebuild the band’s recently destroyed studio. Finally, the network will reveal breakthrough acts discovered via Artist Platform (Artists.MTV/VH1/CMT) during the 12-hour program.
Fans can follow along on Twitter via @ArtistsDot and @CMT.
 

Country's Top 10 Highest-Earning Artists

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TobyKeithForbes-782x1024Blake Shelton and Keith Urban have both gained popularity through their recent work on The Voice and American Idol, respectively. Toby Keith‘s I Love This Bar and Grill chain just keeps growing. Taylor Swift continues to rake in the awards and to criss-cross the country on her RED tour. Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw and Brad Paisley have all been touring heavily in the past year. Zac Brown Band has put a new spin on concerts with their Southern Ground Music & Food Festival.
But which country artist is raking in the most money? Forbes.com has compiled a list of country music’s Top 10 money-making artists.
1. Toby Keith–$65 million
2. Taylor Swift–$55 million
3. Kenny Chesney–$53 million
4. Tim McGraw–$33 million
5. Carrie Underwood–$31 million
6. Brad Paisley–$30 million
7. Zac Brown Band–$26 million
8. Rascal Flatts–$25 million
9. George Strait–$18 million
10. Jason Aldean–$17 million (tie)
10. Luke Bryan–$17 million (tie)
A few names that fell just short of Forbes‘ Top 10 list? Lady Antebellum, Alan Jackson, Blake Shelton, Eric Church and Keith Urban.

DisClaimer: Trio Riding High

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Blue Sky Riders is made up of (L-R) Kenny Loggins, Georgia Middleman and Gary Burr

Blue Sky Riders is made up of (L-R) Kenny Loggins, Georgia Middleman and Gary Burr


The guys and the gals are canceling each other out this week. Jason Cassidy and Toby Keith have the two finest new male singles, and they are equally potent. Likewise, womanly Debbie Cochran and girlish Sarah Darling both have super strong singles, although in completely different ways. That leaves room for the group Blue Sky Riders to ride to the rescue with the Disc of the Day. I know you’re probably sick of reading me rave about this trio (Kenny Loggins, Gary Burr and Georgia Middleman), but I’m not going to stop until every one of you goes out and buys the album and hears what I’m talking about. So there. Nobody wins a DisCovery Award in this edition of DisClaimer.
TRACY LAWRENCE/Footprints on the Moon
Writers: Ben Hayslip/Dallas Davidson/Rhett Akins; Producers: Flip Anderson & Tracy Lawrence; Publishers: WB/Get a Load of This/EMI Blackwood, ASCAP/BMI; LMC (CDX)
-Tempo for your summer playlist, plus an ultra-romantic lyric. Soaring sonics.
OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW/Carry Me Back To Virginia
Writers: Secor/Haynes/Watson; Producer: Ted Hutt; Publishers: Blood Donor/Broken Banjo/Spirit One, BMI; ATO (CDX)
-This acoustic band is currently riding high as the co-writer of Darius Rucker’s “Wagon Wheel.” This just-released, fiddle-tune pep-fest is for the frisky clogger in all of us. Folk flavored and earthy, it’s a tongue-tripping performance with a built-in smile.
TOBY KEITH/Drinks After Work
Writers: Natalie Hemby/Luke Laird/Barry Dean; Producer: Toby Keith; Publishers: EMI Blackwood/Wruckestrike/Songs of Universal/Creative Nation/Country Paper/Pulse Nation/Twangin and Slangin, BMI; Show Dog
-He is propositioning in the nicest way in this scampering ditty. Hey, where’s the harm in a little conversation during Happy Hour? As usual, Toby sings with enormous charm and personality.
JASON CASSIDY/Blame It On Waylon
Writers: Rhett Akins/Josh Thompson; Producers: Greg Hunt and Jason Cassidy; Publisher: none listed; JC (track)
-The production rocks righteously, and his country baritone has just the right touch of “outlaw” swagger. Already a hit in Texas, I see no reason why this stomper couldn’t have much, much wider appeal.
SARAH DARLING/Little Umbrellas
Writers: Sarah Darling/Doug Johnson/Rob Crosby; Producer: Ilya Toshinsky; Publishers: Golden Vault/Wadmalaw/Black River/Sweet Conspiracy/Offer You Can’t Refuse/Little Darling/Want a Fresh One, BMI/ASCAP; 764
-Perky, pop-y, choppy, bopping. Her lilting delivery is sweetly girlish, but the lyric is about empowerment and getting over a guy. Extremely catchy.
DEBBIE COCHRAN/When You’re Loving Me
Writer: Debbie Cochran; Producer: Kent Wells; Publisher: DMC Anniston; BMI; Go Time (track)
-Her languid, lustrous, throaty, confident, slightly bluesy delivery is enchanting. The band locks into a steady groove behind her on this seductive, mid-tempo outing. Dreamy listening.
BLUE SKY RIDERS/Feelin’ Brave
Writers: Blue Sky Riders; Producers: Peter Asher and Blue Sky Riders; Publishers: Gnossos/Connboy/Middle Girl, ASCAP/SESAC; 3 Dream (track)
-All 15 tracks on this group’s debut CD Finally Home are so uniformly superb that choosing what to issue as a single must be insanely difficult. This throbbing, tempo-shifting, harmony-drenched choice provides moments for all three vocalists to shine. Beyond fabulous.
T.J. BROSCOFF/This Is The Moment
Writer: T.J. Broscoff; Producers: Bill Green and T.J. Broscoff; Publisher: Bill Green, BMI; BGM
-His delivery of this heartbreak toe-tapper has hillbilly soul. Punchy and potent, despite the somewhat slim production values.
ASHTON SHEPHERD/This Is America
Writer: Ashton Shepherd; Producers: Ronnie Rogers and Larry Beard; Publisher: none listed; Pickin’ Shed
-Just in time for the Fourth of July comes this patriotic number about surviving hard times. It is somewhat wordy, but she sings the fire out of it nonetheless.
AARON WOODS BAND/Hangin’ By The River
Writers: Aaron Woods/Colt Larimore; Producer: Tony Pierce; Publisher: none listed, BMI; EJP
-You can’t sing, and your song about a country party is so hackneyed it gives me a headache.

Combustion Music Lands New Chevy Truck Theme Song

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combustion logoCombustion Music has landed the coveted slot for the new Chevy truck theme song. Replacing the iconic “Like A Rock,”  Combustion’s “Strong” seems poised to follow in both its success and longevity.
Written by Ashley Gorley, Will Hoge and Zach Crowell, and produced in-house by Combustion Music’s Chris Farren along with Gorley and Crowell, the project is the result of a month-long effort by Combustion’s staff, as well as their partners at Warner/Chappell. That’s Will Hoge‘s voice you hear performing the tune in the ad campaign.
The advertising campaign introducing the 2014 Silverado kicks off on July 4, but you can check out the spots below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ngOek2J65s

MusicRowRecess: Nashville Teen Auditions for 'America's Got Talent'

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America's Got TalentA local Nashville high school graduate recently made it past the first round of America’s Got Talent.
Paul Thomas Mitchell, a 2013 graduate of Father Ryan High School, recently performed “My Life,” a song he composed. He dedicated the song to his father, a recovering alcoholic. “He changed his life around for me to have the life that I can,” said Mitchell.
He auditioned in New Orleans before judges Heidi Klum, Melanie Brown, Howard Stern and Howie Mandel, and gained a positive reaction from the judges.
“You are obviously an emotional person, and that emotion came though on the stage,” said Stern after Mitchell’s audition. “That’s what I look for in a singer. I think you have star power and I have high hopes for you in this competition.”
Mitchell will move on to the next round of the competition, which takes place in Las Vegas on July 15-16.

GAC’s 'Backstory: Gary Allan' To Air July 14

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GaryAllan_LgGreat American Country (GAC) and Gary Allan have partnered to present Backstory: Gary Allan, where the singer discusses his personal and professional life with viewers. The program will feature interviews with Allan’s family and friends, including Kix Brooks, and photographs documenting the singer’s life. The episode will air July 14 at 10 p.m. ET.
Although Allan has recorded platinum records and is currently co-headlining a tour with Sheryl Crow, he only recently had his first No. 1 hit as a songwriter with “Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain).”
“We knew we had a song about hope as we were writing it,” says Allan. “We were very aware not to have any negative lines in it.”
The singer describes his career, saying, “I’ve always known I didn’t want to be the latest, greatest thing because that never lasts. I always wanted to be the George Strait or the Willie Nelson that’s just sort of chugging back here because you turn around one day and go, ‘He’s been here for 30 years’ and that’s how I want to do it.”
 

Country Music Hall of Fame Program To Feature Mark Bright

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mark bright1

Mark Bright


Producer Mark Bright will be featured in an interview segment at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Saturday, July 27 at 1:30 p.m. The event is presented in support of The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Carrie Underwood: The Blown Away Tour Exhibition.
Bright has been Carrie Underwood‘s producer throughout her recording career. The program will focus on Bright’s creative partnership with Underwood in addition to his career working with BlackHawk, Sara Evans, Lonestar, Scotty McCreery, Reba McEntire, Jo Dee Messina and Rascal Flatts. Bright produced Underwood’s debut album, Some Hearts, as well as subsequent projects Carnival Ride, Play On and Blown Away. Bright has also overseen the catalogs of songwriters Brett James (“Jesus, Take The Wheel”) and Danny Wells (“Check Yes or No”). The program will be illustrated through photos, film footage and recordings.
Museum admission or membership is required for program admittance. The event will be streamed live at countrymusichalloffame.org.

Cover Image, Track Listing For Underwood's Tour DVD Released

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blownawayCarrie Underwood will bring her Blown Away Tour to DVD with the Aug. 13 release of The Blown Away Tour: LIVE, and in the wake of today’s exclusive reveal of the DVD cover on Vine, additional details of the DVD content are also being revealed.
Filmed in concert this past March, The Blown Away Tour: LIVE features nearly 100 minutes of performance footage, including a dozen of Carrie’s No. 1 singles, with such favorites as “Before He Cheats,” “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” “Two Black Cadillacs,” and the album title track that inspired her tour name, “Blown Away.” The live concert was directed by Christian Lamb and produced by Domenic Potter.
The complete DVD concert track listing is as follows:
“Good Girl”
“Undo It”
“Wasted”
“I Told You So”
“Two Black Cadillacs”
“Last Name”
“Temporary Home”
“Jesus, Take the Wheel” / “How Great Thou Art”
“Cowboy Casanova”
“Get Out of This Town”
“Nobody Ever Told You”
“All-American Girl”
“One Way Ticket”
“Leave Love Alone”
“Flat on the Floor”
“See You Again”
“Cupid’s Got a Shotgun”
“Before He Cheats”
“I Know You Won’t”
“Blown Away”
Alongside the performance footage are exclusive bonus clips, produced and directed by Todd Cassetty, providing a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the tour, including interviews with Carrie and Raj Kapoor, tour director responsible for the large production and effects that defined the visual elements of The Blown Away Tour. A photo gallery, as well as four of the music videos from Underwood’s Blown Away album (“Good Girl,” “Blown Away,” “Two Black Cadillacs” and “See You Again”) are included.

Country Music Hall of Fame to Highlight Pickler's 'Dancing' Win

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Cap

Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough win Dancing with the Stars.


Kellie Pickler’s Dancing with the Stars finale costume and mirrorball trophy will be on display on the second floor of the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum’s core exhibition beginning July 3, 2013. Pickler wore the two-piece chiffon, rhinestone-embellished ensemble during her last dance of the season, the Instant Jive, which earned her a perfect score, the championship title and the coveted mirrorball trophy.
Pickler was paired with professional dancer and choreographer Derek Hough on season 16 of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. Pickler recently released the single “Someone Somewhere Tonight,” and plans to release a new album later this year.

Industry Ink (7-2-13)

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artisan on 18th apartments

Sketch of Artisan on 18th Apartments


The Music Row area is set to get yet another apartment building. The Nashville-based Stonehenge Real Estate Group will soon break ground on a 153-unit project. Artisan on 18th will be located at the intersection of 18th Ave. S. and Chet Atkins Place, with plans to open by summer 2014. According to the Nashville Post, five buildings that currently house music businesses will be razed in order to construct the apartments.
Stonehenge also developed Music Row’s Note 16 apartments and Eleven North in the Gulch.
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ole logo111ole has acquired a music publishing catalog comprised of music from Sony Pictures Entertainment’s film and television releases between 1993 and 2012.
The catalog includes compositions from a variety of TV shows such as Wheel of Fortune, Breaking Bad, Dawson’s Creek, The Nanny, Rescue Me, and films including Angels & Demons, The Da Vinci Code, Groundhog Day, Rudy, Jumanji, Legends of the Fall, Moneyball, Mr. Deeds, The Patriot, The Quick and the Dead, Superbad, Step Brothers, Stuart Little, and Hotel Transylvania, among others.
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ASCAP songwriters Jessi Alexander, Brandy Clark, Josh Osborne and Trevor Rosen were the featured writers-in-the-round at The Circle Sessions, held at Joe’s Bar in Chicago on Wednesday, June 26. The Circle Sessions is a semi-monthly acoustic showcase, presented by Joe’s Bar and Black Label Booking, that unites some of Nashville’s most talented country music songwriters to share the stories behind their hit songs and perform them acoustically in an intimate setting. The unique event serves to bring the in-the-round concept to new audiences outside of Music City.
Pictured (L-R): ASCAP's Evyn Mustoe, Jessi Alexander, Trevor Rosen, Brandy Clark, Josh Osborne, Black Label Booking's Mike Abramson, Joe's Bar's Montse Azmani, Black Label Booking's Ryan Allen and ASCAP's Robert Filhart.

Pictured (L-R): ASCAP’s Evyn Mustoe, Jessi Alexander, Trevor Rosen, Brandy Clark, Josh Osborne, Black Label Booking’s Mike Abramson, Joe’s Bar’s Montse Azmani, Black Label Booking’s Ryan Allen and ASCAP’s Robert Filhart.


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Skillet, a Christian rock band that formed in Memphis, Tenn. in 1996, celebrated the release of their project Rise last week in New York. Atlantic Records hosted a party at New York’s Hudson Hotel to commemorate the band’s new project and the RIAA Platinum certification of their 2009 release Awake and their hit single “Monster.” Attending the event festivities included Atlantic Records’ Craig Kallman (Chairman/CEO), Julie Greenwald (Chairman/COO) and Pete Ganbarg (EVP/Head of A&R). Adding to the platinum honors were the RIAA Gold certifications for the band’s singles “Hero” and “Awake & Alive.”
Pictured (L to R): Zachary Kelm (Q Management), Seth Morrison, Jen Ledger, Korey Cooper, Craig Kallman (Atlantic Records Chairman/CEO ), Julie Greenwald (Atlantic Records Chairman/COO), John Cooper and Pete Ganbarg (Atlantic Records EVP and Head of A&R).

Pictured (L to R): Zachary Kelm (Q Management), Seth Morrison, Jen Ledger, Korey Cooper, Craig Kallman (Atlantic Records Chairman/CEO ), Julie Greenwald (Atlantic Records Chairman/COO), John Cooper and Pete Ganbarg (Atlantic Records EVP and Head of A&R).


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Moe Bandy

Moe Bandy


Third Coast Talent Agency has signed on to represent artist Moe Bandy. Bandy’s singles include “Bandy The Rodeo Clown,” “Till I’m Too Old To Die Young,” “Americana,” “Hank Williams You Wrote My Life,” “It’s a Cheatin’ Situation,” “Just Good Ol’ Boys,” “Barstool Mountain,” “I Cheated Me Right Out of You,” and more.
Third Coast also represents Jeannie Seely, Gene Watson, Janie Fricke, Little Jimmy Dickens and Johnny Rodriquez.