Clay Walker
and wife
Jessica recently welcomed their third child, a boy.
Elijah Craig Walker was born June 15. “Happy Fathers Day to me:) Elijah Craig Walker…7.8 lbs…a blessing to his mama and me…born last night…God bless u Fathers.” Walker said
via Twitter.
Walker and his wife have two other children, including son William, 4, and daughter Mary, 3.
• • •
Jared Ashley, wife Taylor Ashley and newborn Georgia.
Blaster Records singer and songwriter Jared Ashley and his wife Taylor welcomed their first child, daughter Georgia McClain Ashley on June 9. The couple have been married since May 2011.
• • •
Merle Haggard
will make a guest appearance on this year’s season finale of
The Marty Stuart Show, which will air on Saturday (June 19) at 8 p.m. ET on RFD-TV. In addition to Haggard, this season has included appearances by
Sheryl Crow, Gene Watson, Old Crow Medicine Show, Charley Pride, Iris Dement and
The Del McCoury Band.
• • •
Danielle Peck
has signed with Nashville’s
XYQ Artist Management. XYQ manager
Lee Willard will handle Peck’s personal day-to-day and career management, with the company spearheading the release of her third studio album,
How Freedom Feels. Lari White will produce the project.
• • •
Amy Grant
will perform on
Fox and Friends on June 22 and on ABC’s lifestyle show
The Chew on July 19.
• • •
Easton Corbin, Dustin Lynch, Greg Bates and Chris Janson helped raise $13,361 for Musicians On Call (MOC) Nashville with the annual Country Weekly CMA Music Fest “Kick Off Party,” hosted by Suzanne Alexander and sponsored by Boot Barn, Durango and Roper. All proceeds directly impact MOC Nashville’s ongoing efforts to bring the healing power of music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities in Middle Tennessee.
Pictured (L-R): Country Weekly’s Jeff Meltesen, Easton Corbin, Dustin Lynch, MOC’s Katy Epley, Chris Janson, Greg Bates, GAC’s Suzanne Alexander, Country Weekly’s Lisa Konicki.
Photo Credit: Kendra Motycka
White House Releases Intellectual Property Enforcement Plan
/by Sarah SkatesThe White House today (June 20) released the “2013 Joint Strategic Plan for Intellectual Property Enforcement” from U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator Victoria A. Espinel. The report’s priorities include a focus on transparency, communication and education. It explains that in 2010, intellectual property industries accounted for $5.06 trillion, or 34.8 percent of U.S. gross domestic product.
Below is a list of the report’s action items. See the full report.
Cary Sherman, RIAA Chairman and CEO, issued the following statement regarding the report: “The White House has laid out a sensible and practical approach to protecting the Constitutional rights of America’s creative community. Our voluntary, marketplace efforts with various partners in the Internet ecosystem – such as ISPs, payment processors and advertisers – have shown such pacts are possible and can make a real difference. It also attests to the fact that our collective futures are intertwined.
“The White House appropriately recognizes that search engines need to be part of that conversation. To date, some important, commendable progress has been achieved, including for example, significant improvements to the notice and take down process. That’s laudable. But the continuing prominence of rogue websites in the first page of results shows that this continues to be a real problem, and this new White House report is a reminder that policymakers care about this issue and expect meaningful progress.
“Just as we are asking others to redouble their efforts to build a better online marketplace for users and creators alike, we recognize that we have an obligation to be constructive and examine steps we can undertake to help achieve that end. We take this obligation seriously. Just last week, we joined the music publishers in announcing an important new initiative to expedite and ease micro-licensing for a variety of ancillary uses of music. We’re grateful the White House recognizes the value of these kinds of efforts.”
A statement from NMPA President and CEO David Israelite said: “Songwriters and music publishers are some of America’s smallest businesses. When their work is illegally used or undervalued it can be disastrous and career ending. Today’s report outlining U.S. efforts to protect copyrighted works is particularly welcome. We applaud Ms. Espinel’s ongoing effort to strengthen American copyright and ensure created works from music to software is valued and treated with respect consistently within our borders and beyond. Her belief that copyright policies and protections be inclusive and developed collaboratively benefits industries, businesses and ultimately our economy.”
See more from The Hollywood Reporter.
CMT Taps NBCUniversal Veteran as VP, Consumer Insights and Research
/by Jessica NicholsonJustin Wyatt
CMT has tapped NBCUniversal and ABC Television veteran Justin Wyatt for the newly-created position of Vice President Consumer Insights and Research. Wyatt is responsible for managing and leading all CMT qualitative research efforts across all platforms, and helping guide show development and strategic programming initiatives. Working alongside Viacom Media Network’s NY-based research team, Wyatt reports to CMT President Brian Philips and is based out of CMT headquarters in Nashville.
“We talked to many of the brightest minds in Research about this position. The sheer range and depth of Justin’s knowledge and experience in television research is stunning. He’ll provide essential guidance for the network as we continue to grow,” said Philips.
While at NBCUniversal, Wyatt was Vice President Primary Research, responsible for leading primary research initiatives for E!, Style Network, G4, FEARnet, and selected digital properties. Previously, he was a senior research consultant for the Hypothesis Group, where he handled multiple projects and worked on the business implications of research findings for media and TV clients. Wyatt’s career also includes time at ABC Television Network, Frank. N. Magid Associates’ Entertainment Division and University of Arizona’s Department of Media Arts. Wyatt is the author of High Concept: Movies & Marketing in Hollywood and co-editor of Contemporary American Independent Film: From the Margins to the Mainstream.
Wyatt earned a Ph.D and M.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles’ Department of Film and Television and received his B.A. from the University of British Columbia’s Department of Economics. He recently relocated to Nashville from Los Angeles.
Artist Updates (6-20-13)
/by Jessica NicholsonClay Walker
Clay Walker and wife Jessica recently welcomed their third child, a boy. Elijah Craig Walker was born June 15. “Happy Fathers Day to me:) Elijah Craig Walker…7.8 lbs…a blessing to his mama and me…born last night…God bless u Fathers.” Walker said via Twitter.
Walker and his wife have two other children, including son William, 4, and daughter Mary, 3.
• • •
Jared Ashley, wife Taylor Ashley and newborn Georgia.
Blaster Records singer and songwriter Jared Ashley and his wife Taylor welcomed their first child, daughter Georgia McClain Ashley on June 9. The couple have been married since May 2011.
• • •
Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard will make a guest appearance on this year’s season finale of The Marty Stuart Show, which will air on Saturday (June 19) at 8 p.m. ET on RFD-TV. In addition to Haggard, this season has included appearances by Sheryl Crow, Gene Watson, Old Crow Medicine Show, Charley Pride, Iris Dement and The Del McCoury Band.
• • •
Danielle Peck
Danielle Peck has signed with Nashville’s XYQ Artist Management. XYQ manager Lee Willard will handle Peck’s personal day-to-day and career management, with the company spearheading the release of her third studio album, How Freedom Feels. Lari White will produce the project.
• • •
Amy Grant
Amy Grant will perform on Fox and Friends on June 22 and on ABC’s lifestyle show The Chew on July 19.
• • •
Easton Corbin, Dustin Lynch, Greg Bates and Chris Janson helped raise $13,361 for Musicians On Call (MOC) Nashville with the annual Country Weekly CMA Music Fest “Kick Off Party,” hosted by Suzanne Alexander and sponsored by Boot Barn, Durango and Roper. All proceeds directly impact MOC Nashville’s ongoing efforts to bring the healing power of music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities in Middle Tennessee.
Pictured (L-R): Country Weekly’s Jeff Meltesen, Easton Corbin, Dustin Lynch, MOC’s Katy Epley, Chris Janson, Greg Bates, GAC’s Suzanne Alexander, Country Weekly’s Lisa Konicki.
Photo Credit: Kendra Motycka
Instagram Adds Video, Video Filters and Cinema Mode
/by Jessica NicholsonThe 13 filters range from black-and-white to filters that can brighten or blur the videos. The app allows users to add filters during video playback and switch between the filters before selecting and sharing the video. Users can also select a frame for the video, which will be the cover or photo that appears in the stream.
“We talk about Instagram as capturing and sharing the world’s moments. It’s not just about photography,” Instagram founder Kevin Systrom told Nightline. “There are a ton of moments in the world that can’t be captured in single images.”
They have also added Cinema Mode, a cinematic stabilization technology. “We took a technology that stabilizes video and makes it smooth and beautiful, like it was shot with a cinematic camera,” said Systrom. “The cool thing about Instagram in the beginning is how it let everyday people take beautiful photographs. We put the power of a photography studio in your hand. We’ve done the same for video, so now you can take beautiful video and share it with the world.”
When video posts appear in the Instagram feed, the videos will begin to play automatically, but only when users stop scrolling. The auto play feature can also be disabled in the settings. All videos will play back with sound.
Initially, Cinema Mode will only be available for iPhone users.
In January, Twitter released the Vine video app, and it quickly became a popular app in the Apple store. Vine records six-second videos.
A snippet of Instagram’s new video capability.
Danielle Bradbery Signs with Big Machine Label Group
/by Jessica NicholsonDanielle Bradbery wins ‘The Voice.’
Danielle Bradbery, winner of the fourth season of The Voice, has a recording label home. The 16-year-old Texas native signed with Big Machine Label Group, home to Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts and Tim McGraw.
During her journey to being crowned the winner of the hit musical competition, Bradbery made it clear that she is a country performer, covering songs including Pam Tillis’ “Maybe It Was Memphis,” The Judds’ “Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout The Good ‘Ol Days),” Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take The Wheel,” Jo Dee Messina’s “Heads Carolina, Tails California,” and even auditioning with now labelmate Swift’s “Mean.”
Bradbery is slated to begin recording next week. She is the youngest competitor to win The Voice.
Publishing News (6-20-13)
/by Jessica NicholsonWarner/Chappell Music Nashville recently held a “Lunch & Learn” session, a regular series in which senior executives, artists and/or songwriters share valuable insights with company employees over lunch. For the most recent Lunch & Learn, Warner/Chappell invited songwriters and publishing executives who contributed to Blake Shelton’s Based on a True Story… album to speak.
Pictured (L-R): Scott Hendricks (Warner/Chappell and THiS Music Producer), Ben Vaughn (EVP, Warner/Chappell), Ben Hayslip (Warner/Chappell and THiS Music Songwriter), Marv Green (Warner/Chappell and THiS Music Songwriter), Deric Ruttan (Warner/Chappell and THiS Music Songwriter), Tim Nichols (Warner/Chappell and THiS Music Songwriter), Rusty Gaston (GM, THiS Music).
• • •
AWMG Entertainment has signed singer/songwriter Buck Johnson, also known as the artist, Burly Clyde. Johnson’s diverse catalog includes songs from all genres, including cuts with Carlos Santana featuring Steven Tyler and a song recorded by Billy Ray Cyrus.
Pictured (L-R) Back row: Shane Barrett, Amy Rathburg, Jason Turner. Front row: Ann Wilson and Buck Johnson
• • •
Matt Turner
Big Loud Shirt has added Creative Director, Matt Turner. Turner graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. He began working for ole in January 2007 as Catalog Manager and was promoted to Creative Manager during his time there. While at ole he was responsible for placing songs with Josh Turner, Easton Corbin, Dierks Bentley and Randy Travis among others.
He was also responsible for setting up ole bus co-writing trips with his writers and Brantley Gilbert, Florida Georgia Line, Chris Janson, Drake White and The Railers. “We’re thrilled to get someone with his experience that’s so well thought of in the industry over at the Shirt,” says Big Loud Shirt owner Craig Wiseman.
Kristi Stafford – "Trophy Wife"
/by ProgrammerPlaylistSouth by Southwest Dates for 2014 Confirmed
/by Jessica NicholsonSXSW organizers want attendees to not only enjoy the daytime sessions–they want attendees’ ideas for new sessions. The SXSW PanelPicker, a community conference-building platform that SXSW began using in 2007 as part of the programming, will continue this year. The platform opens Monday, July 1 and allows users to submit proposals for new session ideas and to vote on submitted ideas.
Applications for performers for the 2014 SXSW Music Festival will be accepted beginning July 9. Meanwhile, registration and housing applications begin Aug. 1.
'Last Summer on Earth' Tour Coming To Nashville
/by Sarah SkatesEach of the concert venues will include an interactive “Eco-Village” where fans can learn about ways to protect the environment and fight climate disruption. One of the issues that concert-goers can learn about is the risks of illegal logging and the importance of the Lacey Act, which prohibits the import of illegally trafficked wildlife species, plants and wood.
“As musicians, it’s important for us to know where the wood in our guitars, drumsticks, and other instruments comes from — and whether it got here legally,” said Guster’s Adam Gardner, a co-founder of non-profit REVERB which strives to make music tours more environmentally friendly.
REVERB is working with the Environmental Investigation Agency and the Sierra Club to raise awareness of the importance of the Lacey Act at the Eco-Villages.
The tour will run through July 30 in Brooklyn, NY.
Kings Of Leon And More To Perform At Oklahoma Benefit Concert
/by Michael_SmithKings of Leon
Kings of Leon and The Flaming Lips will perform at the Rock for Oklahoma Benefit Concert at Oklahoma City’s Chesapeake Energy Arena on July 23. The concert will also feature indie group Built to Spill, singer-songwriter Jackson Browne and yet to be announced special guests.
“We couldn’t be more proud to lend a hand to our home state,” says Kings of Leon bassist Jared Followill. “This is the least we could do.”
Proceeds from the concert will benefit victims of the deadly tornado that devastated Moore, Okla. in May, killing 24 people.
“Shakespeare said ‘It is not enough to help the needy up, but to support them after’ and in our small way we are trying to not just be here at the moment of immediate need, but to stay and help with the rebuilding,” said Flaming Lips singer Wayne Coyne. “After all, this is our home and they are us and we are them.”
Fans can purchase tickets now at ticketmaster.com or by calling 1.800.745.3000.