Rayna greets Scarlett and Will at Edgehill Republic’s CMA nominations party on the General Jackson showboat.
Rayna and Deacon’s romance continued to heat up on last night’s (May 8) new episode of
Nashville. But she’s holding back a huge secret that could destroy their relationship: Maddie is his biological daughter. In the meantime, they settled in to their rekindled romance. Snuggling at home, Deacon strummed guitar and they quietly sang “The End of the Day,” a song written by
Madi Diaz and
Sarah Siskind, which made its
Nashville premiere.
Rayna, Juliette and their teams gathered at a party on the General Jackson riverboat to celebrate the stars’ CMA nominations. Still nursing a heart broken by scheming Dante, Juliette was on a self-medicating binge, and showed up at the party drunk. Rayna slyly complimented Juliette’s “80 proof” perfume. Just before Juliette was to take the stage, Deacon quit her band. So she recruited her new roadie Avery to fill in. Given the circumstances, she switched the set and debuted the song “Used” (written by
Ross Copperman and
Heather Morgan).
Scarlett scored an invitation to the party thanks to her new record deal with Rayna’s imprint on Edgehill Republic. Watching in the audience, she was shocked to see her ex Avery onstage with Juliette—especially when the star planted a kiss on him.
Avery also debuted a song on the episode, “The Morning of the Rain,” penned by actor Jonathan Jackson, who plays Avery.
Meanwhile, Scarlett’s current beau Gunnar missed the boat show because he was in the studio cutting a demo. Problem is, the producer isn’t interested in Gunnar’s ballads, instead he goes for the darker material that Gunnar skimmed from his dead brother’s journal and passed off as his own.
Downtown at the Mayor’s office, Coleman resigned his post as Deputy Mayor and is secretly waiting for Rayna’s ex, Teddy, to lose his job as Mayor—probably at the hands of Rayna’s sister Tandy or her father Lamar.
Cliff hangers: At the end of the episode, Dante called Juliette and threatened to leak a damaging tape. Also,
E! is reporting that two characters will die during the show’s season finale on May 22. My totally uncorroborated prediction is that we will say adios to Peggy, Teddy’s ex girlfriend played by
Kimberly Williams Paisley.
Nashville has yet to be renewed by ABC, but TV insiders expect a greenlight when the network reveals its 2013-14 primetime lineup on Tuesday, May 14. As always, new music from the show is available on iTunes.
Industry Ink (5-10-13)
/by Jessica Nicholson• • •
The CMA Songwriters Series returned to Joe’s Pub in New York City for a two-night event on May 7 and May 8. The second showcase of the year at Joe’s featured ASCAP’s Brandy Clark (“Better Dig Two,” “Mama’s Broken Heart”), Shane McAnally (“Downtown,” “Better Dig Two,” “Mama’s Broken Heart”) and Phil Vassar (“My Next Thirty Years,” “Bye, Bye,” “Just Another Day in Paradise”). The event was hosted by Bob DiPiero.
• • •
Hometown Honor For Nashville Jazz Great
/by Robert K OermannBeegie Adair
Beegie Adair returns to her hometown with honors this weekend. The veteran Nashville pianist, session musician, jingle writer and jazz performer will be saluted in Cave City, Ky. on Saturday (May 11). The town is dedicating its community center in her name on that day.
Born Bobbe Gorin Long, she is a native of Cave City. After getting her music degree at nearby Western Kentucky State University, she taught piano and played in jazz bands in the area. She moved to Music City in the 1960s and was soon in-demand as a session musician. Her studio work included recordings by Dolly Parton, Chet Atkins, Dinah Shore, Peggy Lee and Mama Cass Elliott. She also worked in the house band at WSM-TV and on the Johnny Cash TV show in 1969-71.
Beegie and husband Billy Adair formed a jingle company in the 1970s. In the 1980s, she restarted her performing career by teaming up with saxophone player Denis Solee in a series of Nashville jazz ensembles. In the late 1980s, she hosted the NPR radio show Improvised Thoughts. She has recorded 34 instrumental albums.
In 2002, Beegie Adair was made a prestigious Steinway Artist, which places her in the company of Diana Krall, Billy Joel and Harry Connick Jr. In 2010, she was the biggest-selling jazz artist in Japan.
She continues to perform at jazz clubs and festivals locally, nationally and internationally. Beegie Adair is a faculty member of the Nashville Jazz Workshop. Husband Billy is an associate professor of jazz studies at Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music. This year, she plans to author her first book.
Charlie Cook On Air: She's Everything
/by contributorThe subject of mothers has a long history in Country Music. I was not raised on Country music at home in Detroit. Is that redundant? When I was growing up Tim Roberts had not moved to Detroit yet to make WYCD one of the city’s most popular stations.
It wasn’t until I got into radio and heard “No Charge” by Melba Montgomery that I understood how the lyrics of country music could move listeners so powerfully. I knew nothing about songwriter Harlan Howard but would come to learn that very few could make words come to life as forcefully as he did. The combination of Harlan’s words and Melba’s performance ended in her strongest chart position and opened my eyes. The song was released in 1974 so most of you are not familiar with the song. Look it up in Spotify. I did. It’s there.
Oh by the way, as coincidence would have it, Harlan was also born in Detroit. I am not going to do a list of songs about mothers but if I mention a few titles maybe you’ll take a moment and think fondly of your mother. Some of the older titles are the most impactful. “Coat of Many Colors” by Dolly Parton is a special song that tells two stories (which is Dolly’s genius), but the mother’s love for her daughter and her love for her mother is the message that shines through to me.
Talk about sad songs. Country music’s most irreverent songster recorded one of the most powerful mother-son songs. “The Baby” by Blake Shelton gets me every time. In 1968, Merle Haggard did the semi-autobiographical “Mama Tried.” Yeah there was some truth to the song, which made it real for both Merle and the listener, and fortunately he was not sentenced to life without parole. It was an important lesson in how mamas can lead a kid to church but cannot make them dip into the holy water.
The circle of life is best presented by Jamie O’Neal in “Somebody’s Hero.” As we age and become the responsible parties in this mother/daughter/son relationship, the lessons learned by our mother’s hand come to life in death. We need to provide guidance and love as examples to our children so they know how important their mother is before it gets too late to show appreciation. Brad Paisley, our reigning poet laureate, sings “She’s Everything.”
Those of you are fortunate enough to be able to call your mom today and wish them a great day, please do so. If you’re like me, who lost my mother when I was in my teens, remember what Brad sings, as everyday passes, I only love her more.
To all of you celebrating today, Happy Mother’s Day.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MusicRow.)
Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman Returns June 20
/by Jessica NicholsonThis year’s lineup features performances from Vince Gill, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, The Gibson Brothers, Dailey and Vincent, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, and others.
“There is no better place in the world to listen to bluegrass than the Ryman Auditorium,” said Sally Williams, Ryman General Manager. “We’re proud to continue the tradition that began back in 1945 when Bill Monroe, Lester Flatts and Earl Scruggs appeared on our stage together for the first time.”
2013 Springer Mountain Farms Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman line-up:
June 20 Vince Gill
June 27 Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
July 4 The Gibson Brothers
July 11 Ralph Stanley & His Clinch Mountain Boys & Jim Lauderdale
July 18 Dailey & Vincent
July 25 Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. and are preceded by 650 AM WSM’s Pickin’ on the Plaza featuring regional bluegrass bands from 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. The free showcases take place just outside the main entrance on the plaza near the statue of Captain Thomas G. Ryman.
Bands featured on Pickin’ on the Plaza:
June 20 Crosswind
June 27 Flatt Lonesome
July 4 TBA
July 11 Freshwater Creek
July 18 Copper in Steel
July 25 TBA
Country Artists Among Pollstar's Top 20 Concert Tours
/by Caitlin RantalaTOP 20 CONCERT TOURS
1. (New) Taylor Swift; $1,853,930; $81.31.
2. (1) Bon Jovi; $1,741,784; $96.53.
3. (2) George Strait; $1,430,289; $83.53.
4. (3) Kenny Chesney; $1,142,624; $78.39.
5. (4) Pink; $1,087,880; $76.84.
6. (5) Maroon 5; $906,465; $67.20.
7. (6) The Who; $846,331; $95.72.
8. (7) Ricardo Arjona; $750,878; $88.19.
9. (8) Muse; $523,604; $56.61.
10. (9) Carrie Underwood; $462,074; $58.40.
11. (10) Eric Church; $395,690; $49.26.
12. (11) Kid Rock; $371,575; $52.47.
13. (12) Jeff Dunham; $261,777; $43.88.
14. (13) matchbox twenty; $196,808; $64.24.
15. (14) Tiesto; $188,483; $41.72.
16. (15) Shinedown / Three Days Grace; $184,798; $38.93.
17. (16) Brantley Gilbert; $177,377; $29.32.
18. (17) Chris Tomlin; $169,808; $27.83.
19. (18) “Winter Jam” / Tobymac; $153,829; $12.35.
20. (19) Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds; $147,280; $51.73.
For free upcoming tour information, go to www.pollstar.com.
GAC's 6th Annual Kick-Off Breakfast Set For June 5
/by Jessica NicholsonTickets for this one-of-a-kind event are $45 and include a hearty country breakfast, intimate concert performances, meet and greet sessions where fans will have their pictures snapped by professional photographers and loaded onto an easy access website, and admission to the museum. Tickets go on sale tomorrow (Friday, May 10) at 10 a.m. ET and can be purchased by logging on to http://oak.ctx.ly/r/4wo8
Past Kick-off Breakfast performers include Lady Antebellum, Darius Rucker, Eric Church, Lee Ann Womack and Chris Young. Proceeds from the event benefit the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
Industry Ink (5-9-13)
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Anson Lewis (5/3 Bank), Cheryl Martin (5/3 Bank), Pat Higdon (Patrick Joseph Music), Ree Guyer Buchanan (Wrensong), Dan Hodges (Dan Hodges Music), Brad Peterson (5/3 Bank), Heather Cook (Admin. Director/AIMP)
The Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) Nashville chapter and Fifth Third Bank sponsored the informative panel “Successful Independent Publishers: Competing With and Outsmarting The Big Boys” Participants included Ree Guyer Buchanan (President/Owner of Wrensong Publishing), Pat Higdon (President/Owner of Patrick Joseph Music) and Dan Hodges (Owner/GM of Dan Hodges Music). Heather Cook, CEO of Cook’n Up Music Publishing and Administrative Director of AIMP Nashville served as moderator.
• • •
This one-hour program will feature Americana musicians Jim Lauderdale and Buddy Miller with their All Star band (Fats Kaplin, Brian Owings and Jay Weaver) and performances by Lisa Marie Presley, Elizabeth Cook, The Milk Carton Kids with special guest T Bone Burnett.
The winners in each category will be announced during the Americana Honors & Awards show on Sept. 18 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The show will be broadcast live on AXS TV.
• • •
Pickin’ On The Patio will be held the fourth Thursday of every month, from May through September, on the WMN Patio. Future Pickin’ On The Patio events will be held June 27, July 25, Aug. 22, and Sept. 26.
Primetime 'Nashville': Why Don't You Love Me
/by Sarah SkatesRayna greets Scarlett and Will at Edgehill Republic’s CMA nominations party on the General Jackson showboat.
Episode 119: Why Don’t You Love Me
Rayna and Deacon’s romance continued to heat up on last night’s (May 8) new episode of Nashville. But she’s holding back a huge secret that could destroy their relationship: Maddie is his biological daughter. In the meantime, they settled in to their rekindled romance. Snuggling at home, Deacon strummed guitar and they quietly sang “The End of the Day,” a song written by Madi Diaz and Sarah Siskind, which made its Nashville premiere.
Rayna, Juliette and their teams gathered at a party on the General Jackson riverboat to celebrate the stars’ CMA nominations. Still nursing a heart broken by scheming Dante, Juliette was on a self-medicating binge, and showed up at the party drunk. Rayna slyly complimented Juliette’s “80 proof” perfume. Just before Juliette was to take the stage, Deacon quit her band. So she recruited her new roadie Avery to fill in. Given the circumstances, she switched the set and debuted the song “Used” (written by Ross Copperman and Heather Morgan).
Scarlett scored an invitation to the party thanks to her new record deal with Rayna’s imprint on Edgehill Republic. Watching in the audience, she was shocked to see her ex Avery onstage with Juliette—especially when the star planted a kiss on him.
Avery also debuted a song on the episode, “The Morning of the Rain,” penned by actor Jonathan Jackson, who plays Avery.
Meanwhile, Scarlett’s current beau Gunnar missed the boat show because he was in the studio cutting a demo. Problem is, the producer isn’t interested in Gunnar’s ballads, instead he goes for the darker material that Gunnar skimmed from his dead brother’s journal and passed off as his own.
Downtown at the Mayor’s office, Coleman resigned his post as Deputy Mayor and is secretly waiting for Rayna’s ex, Teddy, to lose his job as Mayor—probably at the hands of Rayna’s sister Tandy or her father Lamar.
Cliff hangers: At the end of the episode, Dante called Juliette and threatened to leak a damaging tape. Also, E! is reporting that two characters will die during the show’s season finale on May 22. My totally uncorroborated prediction is that we will say adios to Peggy, Teddy’s ex girlfriend played by Kimberly Williams Paisley.
Nashville has yet to be renewed by ABC, but TV insiders expect a greenlight when the network reveals its 2013-14 primetime lineup on Tuesday, May 14. As always, new music from the show is available on iTunes.
RIAA Adds Digital Streams To Gold and Platinum Awards
/by Jessica NicholsonFifty-six titles are included in the inaugural certifications for the newly expanded Digital Single Award. Specifically, the RIAA is awarding 11 Gold, 18 Platinum and 27 multi-Platinum new “combined” Digital Single Awards counting both downloads and streams. This includes streams from on-demand services like MOG, Muve Music, Rdio, Rhapsody, Slacker, Spotify, Xbox Music and others, plus video streaming services like MTV.com, VEVO, Yahoo! Music, YouTube and more. The new certification approach, including the formula of 100 streams being equivalent to one download, is an approximate barometer of comparative consumer activity; the financial value of streams and downloads were not factored into the equation.
“Including music streaming in Gold & Platinum awards marks the continued evolution of the industry’s premier program for recognizing artistic achievement, and it reflects the wide spectrum of ways consumers enjoy music from their favorite bands,” said Cary Sherman, Chairman & CEO, RIAA. “The music business, along with its incredible array of digital service partners, is offering fans more access to music than ever before. We’re thrilled that our awards will now more fully recognize artists’ commercial success today.”
Among the singles being awarded with new certificates are:
“Before He Cheats,” Carrie Underwood
“Alone With You” and “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” Jake Owen
“Why Don’t We Just Dance,” Josh Turner
“The Boys of Fall,” Kenny Chesney
The RIAA developed its Gold & Platinum Awards Program in 1958 to honor artists and create a standard by which to measure the commercial success of a sound recording. The program trademarked the Gold record and formalized the industry practice of presenting awards to artists for music sales achievements. The Gold & Platinum Awards program was first awarded to LP recordings but expanded to a number of formats over time to include cassette tapes, CDs, digital tracks, digital albums, ringtones, and now streams. More than 14,000 titles have been certified by the RIAA during the last 55 years.
All certifications are calculated by the firm Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman, which has audited title sales for the RIAA for more than 30 years. Complete lists of all album, single, mastertone and video awards can also be accessed at riaa.com.
Chesney Brings Blue Chair Bay Rum to 'No Shoes Nation' Tour
/by Caitlin Rantala“So much of the inspiration for my music comes from the places I’ve been, and people I’ve met in the Caribbean,” says Chesney. “I started thinking, ‘What if I could share that sense of escape, and freedom…and fun with friends with everyone! That’s the reason for creating Blue Chair Bay Rum, so I wanted a way to share it beyond the shelf. That’s what we’re – hopefully – bringing people with this rum and these parties.”
The laid-back parties invite like-minded imbibers across the nation to raise a glass of Blue Chair Bay Rum’s White, Coconut and Coconut Spiced flavors in celebration of the anytime, anywhere spirit that defines island life. Locals are invited to sip on signature Blue Chair Bay Rum cocktails, take part in island-themed giveaways and indulge in the singer/songwriter’s “check your troubles at the shore” way of life.
Markets include Dallas (May 11); Milwaukee (May 18); Landover, MD. (May 24); Seattle (June 1); Virginia Beach, Va. (June 6); Philadelphia (June 8); Indianapolis (June 13); Kansas City, Mo. (June 15); Pittsburgh (June 22); Columbus (June 29); Minneapolis (July 12); Denver (July 20); Mountain View, Calif. (July 25); Anaheim, Calif. (July 27); Charlotte, N.C. (Aug. 1); Atlanta (Aug. 3); East Rutherford, N.J. (Aug. 10); Detroit (Aug. 17) and Foxboro, Mass. (Aug. 23).
All will be open to No Shoes Nation tour ticketholders 21 years of age and older. To learn more about Blue Chair Bay Rum’s launch parties and No Shoes Nation Happy Hours, visit www.bluechairbayrum.com.