The Nashville Screenwriters Conference is gearing up for it’s 15 annual event and returning to the Union Station Hotel in Nashville, TN on May 31 – June 2, 2013. The open-to-the-public conference brings Hollywood’s top writers, producers, directors, actors, managers, agents and other studio executives to Nashville to provide aspiring screenwriters, songwriters and other individuals interested in the world of film, TV and music the opportunity to network, learn and explore the inner-workings of Hollywood.
This year’s event will feature Anastasia Brown of Format Entertainment, whose credits include August Rush, GCB, Taken and Footloose. Brown will lead a panel workshop titled Music in the Movies on Saturday, June 1. The luncheon and workshop will take place at the Country Music Hall of Fame and will feature advice from top music supervisors for songwriters, composers, artists and publishers hoping to tap into the world of song placement in television and film.
The full conference schedule will be announced soon, but confirmed panelists include:
Phil Hay / Credits: Clash of the Titans, crazy/beautiful, Aeon Flux
Malcolm Spellman / Credits: Our Family Wedding, Balls Out, Hot Wheels
Tim Talbott / Credits: South Park, The Stanford Prison Experiment, Balls Out
Anastasia Brown / Credits: GCB, August Rush, Footloose, Taken
Alec Berg / Credits: Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Dictator
Manish Ravel / Credits: Girls, New Girl, Walk Hard, Bad Teacher
Marti Noxon / Credits: I Am Number Four, Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Grey’s Anatomy
Bob Gordon / Credits: Galaxy Quest, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Men in Black 2
Rhett Reese / Credits: Zombieland, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, The Joe Schmo Show
Glenn Berger / Credits: Kung Fu Panda, King of the Hill
Rita Hsiao / Credits: Toy Story 2, Mulan
For more information, visit
nashscreen.com.
Nashville Screenwriters Conference to Feature Anastasia Brown
/by Jessica NicholsonFor more information, visit nashscreen.com.
Warner/Chappell and THiS Music Sign Drew Baldridge
/by Caitlin Rantala(L–R):Back Row: Scott Safford (Attorney), Tim Nichols (THiS Music), Blain Rhodes (WC), Ben Vaughn (Warner/Chappell), Phil May (Warner/Chappell)
Front Row: Penny Everhard (BMI), Connie Harrington (THiS Music), Janine Appelton (THiS Music), Drew Baldridge, Rusty Gaston (THiS Music)
THiS Music, together with music publishing partner Warner/Chappell Music, have signed a co-publishing agreement with country singer/songwriter Drew Baldridge. Having been mentored by some of the greatest writers in the industry, Baldridge performs every weekend, packing out clubs in Southern Illinois. He’s recently opened for Montgomery Gentry, Lee Greenwood and Phil Vassar, among others.
Artist Updates (3-27-13)
/by Jessica NicholsonAlways…Patsy Cline ran Off Broadway in 1997 and has been produced at regional theaters. The Broadway play will be directed by John Rando and produced by Jimmy Burke and Jeff Cohen. The musical will feature several of Cline’s hits, including “Walkin’ After Midnight,” ”I Fall To Pieces,” ”Crazy,” ”She’s Got You” and “Your Cheatin’ Heart.”
Performances are scheduled to begin in July.
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While in New York City for a media blitz this week, Florida Georgia Line celebrated with three plaques commemorating the RIAA Gold Certification of their debut album Here’s To The Good Times, the Gold-certified Top 10 single, “Get Your Shine On,” and the double platinum-certified single “Cruise.”
Pictured (L-R): Jimmy Harnen (Republic Nashville President/Big Machine Label Group EVP), Tom Mackay (Executive Vice President of Republic Records), Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley, Monte Lipman (Chairman & CEO of Republic Records). Photo Credit: John Ricard
Industry Ink (3-27-13)
/by Jessica NicholsonApplicants should have skills in the following areas: accounting, logistics, event planning, database management, web design, contract negotiation, office management and committee work. Experience with Access, Quickbooks and WordPress is important. Resumes can be sent to nancyc@ibma.org or drop one off at 608 W. Iris Drive, Nashville, TN 37204.
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IMMERSE 2013 will be held May 26-29, 2013 at the LifeWay Christian Resources Building, 1 LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234. To register, sign up at http://www.ExperienceIMMERSE.
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The annual Music City Tennis Invitational (MCTI) is celebrating 40 years of serving children, with 2013 tournament once again benefiting the Center for Child Development at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. The tournament will be held April 19-21 at the Brownlee O. Currey Jr. Tennis Center at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. To add to this year’s fundraising efforts, Avenue Bank presents the MCTI 2013 Songwriter Showcases at the Bluebird Café.
MCTI 2: Pictured (L-R): MCTI’s Bill Riddle, Frenchie, MCTI’s Patsy
Bradley, Children’s Hospital Luke Gregory, Avenue Bank’s Ron Cox,
James Slater, MCTI’s Patsy Wells, Bekka Bramlett, Preston Brust, Chris Lucas, and Jason Duggins. Photo by Alan Mayor
BMI Appoints Vice President of Finance
/by Jessica NicholsonJohn Barnett
Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) has appointed John Barnett as VP, Finance. In this role, Barnett will oversee BMI’s financial planning and analysis, treasury, collection services, and risk management/insurance as well as other cross-functional support roles across the organization. Barnett is based in Nashville and reports directly to Bruce A. Esworthy, Sr. VP of Finance & Administration and CFO of BMI.
“I am delighted to welcome John Barnett to BMI as our new Vice President of Finance. John is a well-rounded financial executive who brings many years of diversified and relevant experience to BMI. We are pleased to have him join the senior management team in this key role at this exciting and evolutionary time in BMI’s corporate history,” commented Esworthy.
Barnett most recently held the position of Sr. VP, Finance for First Acceptance Corporation, a publicly traded regional auto insurance company headquartered in Nashville. Prior to that, Barnett worked at Anheuser-Busch in various positions of increasing responsibility in the areas of corporate planning, business planning and mergers and acquisitions. He also worked in operations management for several years gaining hands-on operations experience.
Weekly Register: Timberlake and Musgraves Thrill Fans
/by bossrossHow could an unknown 24-year-old Texas girl leap the chasm that stretches from obscurity to fame so quickly? Musgraves’ single “Merry Go Round” got Top 10 radio exposure but failed to enter the ultra rotation ranks that might be expected to drive this kind of sales story. But her music has attracted a chorus of enthusiastic critics.
For example, Rolling Stone’s Jody Rosen called Musgrave’s Same Tailer Different Park “For real,” noting the singer/songwriter is someone you, “won’t hear anywhere else… [who] advocates nonconformity…”
Musgraves’ remarkable debut seems to connect with maverick Texan songsmiths like Steve Earle and Lyle Lovett while also joining the current Nashville movement of self-expression led by songwriter/artists like Taylor Swift and Eric Church… Clearly this story is music driven!
Good sales news like the above two stories should be reflected on the grid if truly worthy. And they are. All genre sales rose from -7.2 percent to -5.8 percent an increase of 1.4 points in only a week! Country YTD sales also improved from -3.5 percent to -2.7 percent.
Digital album sales has been strong all year and continues to show growth YTD. All genre they are up 10 percent. The country music audience which may have arrived late at the album download party is making up for lost time showing a digital album increase of almost 22 percent YTD.
Since 2008, all genre digital track sales have showed growth every year, moving from 2010—1.172 billion; 2011—1.271 billion; to 2012—1.336 billion. It is early in 2013 to proclaim a bona fide trend, but as the year advances we will be watching to see if the influence of streaming makes impacts the 2013 SoundScan physical and digital sales charts.
Meanwhile, as we speak, retail bins are being filled with new releases from Alan Jackson, the irrepressible Blake Shelton, Thompson Square and sultry Maggie Rose.
Check in with Weekly Register next week for the rundown on the hits, the misses and the platters that matter…
DISClaimer: A Flash of 'Summer'
/by Robert K OermannBrad Paisley
The platters this week are mainly as blah as the weather. Skies are gray and so are most of these sounds. The most brilliant flash of light is the second single from the upcoming Brad Paisley album. It easily wins a Disc of the Day prize. I know nothing about Clayton Gardner except the fact that his single has been sitting in my to-be-listened-to stack for weeks. Now I’m sorry it’s been buried there so long. He’s got the goods. Also a DisCovery Award.
MARTY RAYBON/That Janie Baker
Writers: Marty Raybon/John Fountain; Producer: Marty Raybon; Publisher: Mart and Mel/Cudzuhollar, ASCAP; Rural Rhythm
-Former Shenandoah frontman Raybon continues his bluegrass journey with a set titled The Back Forty featuring this uptempo romp celebrating the heroine of his old band’s 1993 hit “Janie Baker’s Love Slave.” Among the collection’s coolest tracks are his Full Circle band’s bluegrass reworkings of Charley Pride’s “She’s Just an Old Love Turned Memory” and Webb Pierce’s “Slowly.” The CD’s title salutes the singer’s 40th anniversary as an entertainer.
Clayton Gardner
CHARLIE HAGER & THE CAPTAIN LEGENDARY BAND/Alabama Woman
Writers: Charlie Hager; Producer: Billy Jo High; Publisher:none listed, ASCAP; CH
-The band’s playing is mixed so that it fights the lead vocalist. But he’s bland and colorless, so maybe that’s not such a bad thing.
RACHEL HOLDER/Five Days
Writers: Shane Minor/Rachel Bradshaw/Bobby Huff; Producer: Chuck Howard & Wilbur Rimes; Publisher: EMI Blackwood/Shane Minor/Coburn/Ten Ten, BMI/ASCAP; Curb
-She gets over him in no time, five days to be exact. Full of verve, personality, humor and rhythm. Sprightly. Buoyant.
THE TROUBADEROS/Cowboy Boots
Writers: Jason Royall; Producer: Chris McIuan; Publisher: none listed, BMI; JR
-Perfectly tailored for the lead singer’s two-note range.
BRAD PAISLEY/Beat This Summer
Writers: Brad Paisley/Chris DuBois/Luke Laird; Producer: Brad Paisley; Publisher: none listed; Arista
-It might still be chilly outside, but Brad has a single that sings, “Sunshine!” loud and clear. The cloppy rhythms, snazzy guitar lines, interjected vocal effects and dazzling acoustics in this production are all mighty impressive indications of his ongoing progress as a record maker. Call me dazzled and delighted.
JIGGLEY JONES/Baby Blue
Writers: Jiggley Jones; Producer: Chris Tristram & Jiggley Jones; Publisher: Jiggley Jones, BMI; JJ
-His voice is okay. He has no idea how to write a coherent song. Wandering around blindfolded in search of a melody.
BRANDI CARLILE & EMMYLOU HARRIS/Take Me Home, Country Roads
Writers: John Denver/Taffy Nivert Danoff/Bill Danoff; Producer: Brandi Carlile, The Twins and Buddy Miller; Publisher: Chrysalis One/Ruby Songs/WB/BMG, ASCAP; ATO
–The Music Is You is the title of the John Denver tribute album. Despite his acceptance in country music, few of the tracks are by country artists. My Morning Jacket, Train, Dave Matthews, Evan Dando and the like dominate. Old Crow Medicine Show drops by for “Back Home Again,” and Mary Chapin Carpenter takes on “I Guess He’d Rather Be in Colorado.” Americana fave Brandi performs this, one of Denver’s best known songs. Emmylou is buried in the harmony-vocal mix until the last choruses, when you can more clearly hear her alto backing. In any case, the whole thing sounds like a demo.
BOBBY CHITWOOD/I Won’t Give Up
Writers: none listed; Producer: James “Bubba” Hudson; Publisher: none listed; TXN
-The tune is spare and simple. He begins softly, with stark acoustic accompaniment. I kept hoping his voice would get stronger, and that the production would become more complex. The latter happened with addition of some layered background vocals. The former never did, since he was as tentative sounding at the end as he was at the start.
WYNONNA/Something You Can’t Live Without
Writers: Cactus Moser/David Lee Murphy; Producer: Cactus Moser; Publisher: Cactus Doin’ Work/Old Desperados/N2DCarol Vincent, ASCAP; Curb
-Over the weekend, I watched the absorbing GAC special about what Wy and Cactus have been going through for the past few months. He has produced and co-written her return to disc with quite a bit of flair. As usual, she sings her heart out, and the song gives her plenty of melodic space in which to work. The surrounding production is a stew of electric rock guitars and pulsing percussion.
CLAYTON GARDNER/Happy Ending
Writers: Clayton Gardner/Mack Damon; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; CG
-I like the yearning tenor moan in his voice, and the twanging-guitar upbeat track is a plus as well. A winner.
Upcoming Artist Performances: On TV and Online
/by Jessica Nicholson• • •
Brent Cobb will perform on WGN Midday News ‘Music Lounge’ on Thursday, March 28, beginning at 12 p.m. CT. Cobb will perform his new single “Love On Me.”
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The Band Perry will perform a live set showcasing songs “Better Dig Two,” “DONE.” and more from the band’s highly anticipated sophomore album Pioneer, as well as the hits “If I Die Young” and “All Your Life.” Pioneer will be released on April 2 on Republic Nashville.
Carrie Underwood To Perform New Single on 'American Idol'
/by Jessica Nicholson“See You Again” was one of three songs penned by Underwood, Lindsey and Hodges when the producers of the film Chronicles of Narnia asked if Underwood would be interested in writing for the movie. One of the other songs penned by the trio, “There’s A Place for Us” was performed by Underwood for the film.
See Underwood discuss her new single, “See You Again”:
Industry Ink (3-27-13)
/by Jessica Nicholson“We’re thrilled to be bringing him on to work with us,” said Bill Wilson, Vice President of Digital Strategy & Business Development for digitalmusic.org. “With his extensive experience at major record labels, premier digital companies, and more, Robby is uniquely qualified to help us advance the cause of digital music.”
Towns, 34, is a graduate of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and a Master’s degree in Music Business from New York University (NYU). He got his start in the Advisory Services practice of KPMG.
After stints as Publishing Information Researcher at The Orchard, Marketing Assistant at Audible Treats, and Market Research Analyst at Columbia Records, Towns founded NestaMusic in 2010, a consultancy focusing on strategy, research, and new media initiatives in the music industry. In this role, he has helped Columbia Records overhaul their digital resources, served as lead project manager for an upgrade of all contact and content management for Giant Step, authored the “MetaMillions” white paper for digitalmusic.org, and provided insight and commentary on PRS for Music’s “A House Divided: The Economics of Discounting Tickets” white paper. He also assists clients with strategic planning for Spotify app development.
Towns can be reached at towns@digitalmusic.org.
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The Sins Country
PLA Media has signed husband-wife duo The Sins Country to its roster. They will join PLA’s current roster that includes Lynn Anderson, the Johnny Cash Museum, The Oak Ridge Boys’ William Lee Golden, Emmylou Harris and Scarletta.
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Matt Redman
sixstepsrecords’ Matt Redman’s “10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)” was recently certified Digital Gold by the RIAA. It was the first No. 1 single for co-writers Redman and Jonas Myrin.
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