Last night (April 17) Creative Nation Songwriters Luke Laird and Barry Dean performed eight brand new songs with several of their co-writers to an industry packed crowed at The Basement in Nashville. They also debuted their newest signees- Maggie Chapman and Native Run. The night included performances from Thomas Rhett, The Warren Brothers, Natalie Hemby, Troy Verges, Shane McAnally, Rodney Clawson, Tina Parole, Dave Barnes, Joey Hyde and Aaron Eshius.
Pictured (L-R): Front Row: Dave Barnes, Thomas Rhett, Shane McAnally, Brad Warren, Tina Parol, Rachel Beauregard, April Geesbreght, Maggie Chapman, Natalie Hemby and Creative Nation’s Beth Laird. Back Row – Brett Warren, Luke Laird, Troy Verges, Creative Nation’s Julie Stuckey, Rodney Clawson, Bryan Dawley and Barry Dean.
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Warner/Chappell Music has signed a worldwide co-publishing agreement with country singer/songwriter Elizabeth Huett. Hailing from Riverside, Calif., Huett has been singing and acting since the age of six, and over the past three years toured internationally as a background singer for Taylor Swift. Huett is managed by Craig Dunn with The Collective.
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Lucas Hoge has signed with Artist Events Nashville (AEN) for booking representation. “We are very proud to represent an artist with this much achievement in so many other facets beyond a radio release. After seeing his live performance, we unanimously agreed and made the mutual decision to sign Lucas Hoge to Artist Events emerging artist roster,” says Gary Kirves, Artist Events Nashville CEO. “Lucas is a professional at many levels and his talents multi-faceted. Many people have enjoyed his ‘entertainment value’ as an actor, speaker, songwriter, singer and musician–he is an exceptional talent as a whole.”
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The RIAA has announced several gold and platinum certifications, including Gary Allan‘s “Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain),” which has gone Platinum, Kacey Musgraves‘ “Merry Go Round,” which has been certified Gold, and Matt Redman‘s “10,000 Reasons,” which has also been certified Gold. Big Machine’s Taylor Swift also secured a new Platinum for “Begin Again,” while Swift’s “22” was certified Gold.
Sony Music Nashville Adds Marketing Director
/by Jessica Nicholson“Sarah is a unique talent in the music marketing landscape and we were thrilled to find her. We at Sony Music Nashville are incredibly excited about her addition and all that she brings to the table, from her experience managing consumer product marketing campaigns to her diversified background in digital, advertising and PR,” said Barnabee.
Most recently, Westbrook was VP of Marketing for SOUL by Ludacris, where she oversaw marketing communications programs —from digital advertising and PR, to social media and artist endorsements–for the company’s popular brand of consumer audio products. Prior to that, she acted as a public relations consultant and Senior Global Corporate Communications Manager for the music instrument manufacturer Behringer/ Music Group Services USA. A marketing veteran specialized in managing artist endorsements and relationships, Westbrook has also served as key member of The Stanton DJ, KRK Systems, Cerwin-Vega and Jensen brand marketing teams. She graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and Marketing from University of Central Florida.
Westbrook has relocated from Austin, Texas, to Nashville, Tenn. and is currently in her position.
Gary Allan Concert Plays Like An Autobiography
/by Sarah SkatesAllan’s recognizable vocals automatically make every song his own, and he displayed an even more potent authenticity on the tracks from his new album, Set You Free. Most artists don’t release a career-making album with almost two decades of steady success behind them, but Allan’s not a typical artist.
Clad in all black, the tattooed tunesmith offered a set that reminded fans of his track record of hits while showcasing his new material with exceptional believability. Lighting and video elements enhanced the experience and would translate well to a bigger venue.
Alongside Allan’s usual themes of pain and regret, the album offers signs of redemption. With Hillary Lindsey and Matt Warren, Allan composed the project’s biggest hit so far “Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain),” a song about moving forward with the lyric “set you free.” Lindsey, who also appears in the music video and on the recording, came onstage to offer harmony vocals.
The mood was equally powerful on “It Ain’t The Whiskey,” with images of a church and cross on the video screen. His tendency for booze-fueled self-medication continued with the excellent but bitter lost-love song “Sand In My Soul,” a gem by the Warren Brothers and Blair Daly about wasting away at the beach.
Songwriter Rachel Proctor joined Allan for “You Without Me,” which they wrote with her husband John Lancaster, who is also Allan’s piano player.
Allan’s knack for picking songs with superb lyrics is undeniable. He acknowledged others who contributed to the album watching in the audience, including longtime producer Mark Wright, and songwriters Odie Blackmon and Sarah Buxton, co-writers with Allan on his exceptional current single “Pieces.”
The star didn’t neglect his past hits, going all the way back to his first single “Her Man,” a 1995 preview of his penchant for songs about regret, and his first No. 1 “Man To Man.” He covered a lot of territory, thrilling fans with favorites “Smoke Rings In The Dark,” “Nothing On But The Radio,” “Watching Airplanes,” “A Feelin’ Like That,” and “Best I Ever Had,” complete with a crowd sing-along.
Weekly Register: Country Sales Move Into The Wheelhouse
/by bossrossMany industry observers believe that access or subscription music is the next big thing, streamed to user’s across multiple hardware channels. Yes, streaming dominance appears inevitable as bandwidth becomes ubiquitous throughout our lives. But don’t expect to see it gain critical mass overnight. As a recent NPD Group study of digital behavior shows, the transition will likely take years.
Country album sales and the Top current country album chart received an upward lift into positive territory this week with the release of album debuts from Brad Paisley (No. 1; 100k; 40% digital) and Eric Church’s live set Caught In The Act (No. 3; 61k; 43% digital). Paisley’s last album This Is Country Music debuted the week ending 5-29-11 also at No. 1, but with sales of 153k units.
For comparisons, here is a list of other 2013 country album debuts that arrived in the 100k+ units range:
1/27/13; Gary Allan; 106k
2/10/13; Tim McGraw; 107k
3/10/13; Luke Bryan; 150k
3/31/13; Blake Shelton; 199K
4/7/13; The Band Perry; 129k
Also impacting sales was the ACM Awards which gave renewed energy to albums from artists like Miranda Lambert (No. 15; 12k; up 61%), Eric Church (No. 7; 19k; up 28%), Little Big Town (No. 9; 16k; up 32%), plus others such as Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan. ACM performer gains were also evident in the tracks department.
Florida Georgia Line or FGL continues to rule the country tracks list as “Cruise” added 179k more downloads for an impressive RTD total of over 2.7 million. YTD Country track sales are ahead ahead of the same period last year by 6.4% while all genre tracks sales lag last year, -2%. Downloads for Hunter Hayes’ new single “I Want Crazy” leapt up 495% to almost 110k units for the week. Luke Bryan’s single, “Crash My Party” logged 164k downloads an increase of 526% for the week. Also benefiting from the TV spotlight was Tim McGraw’s stunning duet with Taylor Swift and Keith Urban on guitar, “Highway Don’t Care” which increased W/W by 40% with sales of over 115k units.
The Spring rush is on with upcoming new albums from Kenny Chesney and LeAnn Rimes the week of April 30; then Lady Antebellum and Pistol Annies the week of May 7. Find a complete list upcoming albums here.
Stay tuned to the Weekly Register which is starting to ring loud.
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I’d also like to take a moment to grieve and show solidarity with the people in Boston who have suffered a great loss this week at the city’s famed Marathon. Let’s pray for the speedy recovery of those injured and for the hearts of their loved ones who are also going through a terrible ordeal. Their bravery in the face of evil is an inspiration to us all.
Industry Ink (4-18-13)
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Front Row: Dave Barnes, Thomas Rhett, Shane McAnally, Brad Warren, Tina Parol, Rachel Beauregard, April Geesbreght, Maggie Chapman, Natalie Hemby and Creative Nation’s Beth Laird. Back Row – Brett Warren, Luke Laird, Troy Verges, Creative Nation’s Julie Stuckey, Rodney Clawson, Bryan Dawley and Barry Dean.
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Craig Campbell Gives Acoustic Glimpse of Upcoming Album Via Vine
/by Jessica NicholsonNever Regret will release May 7.
Miller Harris Night at the Bluebird
/by Jessica NicholsonTwo shows were held on Tuesday (April 16) at the Bluebird Cafe to benefit the Miller Harris Foundation. “Miller Harris Night at the Bluebird” featured performers Nick Sturms, John King, Brad Tursi, JT Hodges, Mason Douglas, Erick Dylan and Cory Battan. All proceeds benefited The Miller Harris Asthma Camp For Kids.
Pictured (L-R): Karen Sturgeon, Nick Sturms, Doug Johnson, John King, Judy Harris, Brad Tursi, Karen Conrad, Hunter West.
Pictured (L-R): JT Hodges, Karen Sturgeon, Erick Dylan, Judy Harris, Doug Johnson, Hunter West, Bubba Moneypenny, Mason Douglas, Cory Batten.
Pistol Annies Embark on Promotional Annies Adventure
/by Eric T. ParkerOver four consecutive weeks, new chapters will be revealed to fans through an interactive online graphic novel titled Pistol Annies and the Case of the Stolen Gear.
Dubbed The Great Annies Adventure, the narrative begins today (April 17) when the trio realize their gear, merchandise and new music has been stolen by Cassius Banks, the CEO of Vanilla Records, and his band The One Tones, seeking to strip the Annies of musical abilities.
Each week, fans will work together to discover clues hidden in the storyline and disclosed on social media (via Twitter, Instagram, Vine, Facebook, Tumblr, Foursquare, Path, Pinterest, etc.).
Every time an item is recovered, new merchandise opportunities and content are unlocked for the entire online community, including vinyl records, custom guitars, designer clothes from their photo shoot, personal notebooks, exclusive video content and more.
Each member of the online community, known as The Henhouse, that finds a missing item will receive the actual autographed one-of-a-kind item they found, such as a flyaway opportunity to celebrate the Pistol Annies release in a secret location.
To join the adventure, visit www.PistolAnnies.com.
Richie McDonald Reunites with Lonestar For New Album
/by Jessica NicholsonThe album’s second single “Maybe Someday” is currently spinning nationwide at country radio. The band has RIAA-certified sales in excess of 10 million album units since their national launch in 1995. The band includes Michael Britt, lead guitar & backing vocals; McDonald, lead vocals & piano; Keech Rainwater, drums; and Dean Sams, keyboards and backing vocals.
Guy Clark Returns With First Album In Four Years
/by Sarah SkatesThe album’s heartfelt title track was written for his late wife Susanna Clark, a successful songwriter in her own right. The cover photo depicts Clark holding up a photo of his wife from the 1970s. According to Clark, the older photo was taken when Susanna stormed out of the house after finding Guy and their friend, the late Townes Van Zandt, drunk, again.
Among the project’s 11 tracks are “Cornmeal Waltz,” “Heroes” and “Hell Bent On A Heartache.” Clark co-wrote 10 of the songs.
Clark is a Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award winner, and Academy of Country Music Poet’s Award recipient. He has been a mentor to artists such as Steve Earle and Rodney Crowell and his songs have been covered by a multitude of artists, including Johnny Cash, Brad Paisley, David Allen Coe, Ricky Skaggs, Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney, Jimmy Buffet and Asleep At The Wheel.
Industry Updates (4-17-13)
/by Jessica NicholsonThe 4th Annual Music Row Rally was held yesterday (April 17) in the parking lot of Craig Wiseman‘s publishing company Big Loud Shirt. The event, hosted by Wiseman and Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, raised over $2,000.
Food Trucks including Riffs Fine Street Foods, Smoke et Al, Biscuit Love Truck, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream, Doughworks all donated 10 percent of profits made by the food trucks to The Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. All other donations were made as a courtesy.
Pictured (L-R): Jaynee Day, Brittany Hansen, Kimberly Gleason, Craig Wiseman, KK Wiseman, Cindy Patterson, Renee Thompson, Amy Allmand, Abby Fay
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The Willis Clan band–comprised of the seven oldest siblings–has created and sold an album of original material and is being courted by a major label. The show gives viewers an inside glimpse at life for the Willis Clan, which includes homeschooling, chores, rehearsing for appearances and competitions, designing and creating costumes for competitions, or preparing to travel en mass to a contest or gig.