Country Radio Seminar has added the panel, “Country Comes To New York – A Conversation With Lew Dickey,” to its agenda of educational workshops for CRS 2013.
Journalist Phyllis Stark and RJ Curtis will lead the discussion with CEO and Chairman of Cumulus Media, Lew Dickey. The discussion is expected to cover the recent re-launch of a Country station in New York City as well as the implications for the genre after a decade of absence from the city. Other items to be covered include the new NASH brand and the company’s overall commitment to the country format.
Dickey co-founded Cumulus in 1997 and has built the company to become the second largest radio broadcasting company in America. Cumulus employs over 7,000 people with revenue of $1.2 billion. Dickey also founded Stratford Research in 1985, which provides market research and strategy consulting to the radio and television industries. He is also the author of The Franchise – Building Radio Brands.
The CRS panel is set for Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013 from 11:00 – 11:50 a.m. in room 208 of the Nashville Convention Center.
CRS 2013 will be held Feb. 27 – March 1, 2013, in downtown Nashville, Tenn. Friday, Feb. 15 is the deadline to purchase registrations at the $499 regular rate in addition to the $99 unemployment rate expiring.
For more information, visit countryradioseminar.com.
https://music-row-website-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/10185712/e1360861040.jpeg324260Eric T. Parkerhttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngEric T. Parker2013-02-15 10:03:272013-02-15 10:03:27'Country Comes To New York' Panel Added To CRS 2013
The good news is that in August of this year we can all start sleeping in late on Saturdays. There will no longer be a concern about rising early to collect your mail. Congratulations to the City of San Francisco for losing the Super Bowl. Collecting the garbage after the parade is just a pain in the neck. Death is never a pleasant topic but think of the labor savings by “Digging Two” at the same time. It all depends on how you look at life. You can spin anything in your favor if you take a minute and think it through.
The businesses we make our living in today are not the businesses we got into years ago. In those days the record companies were flush with money (apparently by the way they spent money on getaways, salaries and contracts). Radio was never really flush with money. Even in the old days many stations barely got by and often did so with trade relationships with local sponsors. Salaries were never high in my end of the radio business. I was making less than $1000 a month when I worked in Denver years ago. The other side to that figure? According to the Department of Labor, my salary back then is equal to $53,000 a year today. Isn’t inflation fun? If only I knew I was doing so well back then. If there are any small market disc jockeys reading this, believe me they are asking where that $53K a year job is.
I am fortunate to have a job. I know that. I love my job(s) and I talk to folks every week that are looking for work. Most often it is not to move up in market size or to make more money. It is because they are out of work. Consolidation took and continues to take a toll on broadcasters. I am not against consolidation. I am not even against voice tracking if done correctly. I am in favor of efficiency. Consolidation and voice tracking are both efficient.
I look at labels and it seems there are less people working music today. It seems the hits came from the upper reaches of labels and folks just moved up without really being replaced below. Of course there are less labels today and thus fewer positions. There are certainly less sales today than 5-10 years ago but that appears to be coming back along with downloads, which is a new pipeline to the consumer.
The businesses we got into years ago are never going to reach the employment levels of the past years. Even if the music business sees resurgence and first week sales for the No. 1 CD jumps from 130,000 to 600,000, the business model is never going to allow for re-staffing. Radio is NEVER going to do away with voice-tracking. It is never going to break up clusters and sell to local broadcasters again.
My company, West Virginia Radio Corporation, owns 32 stations in eight markets with the corporate headquarters in Morgantown, but I can be at any of the clusters in less than three hours. We think of the company as being locally operated, even if there is a corporate structure in place. I can tell you if the radio business could get back to smaller chunks or at least operated like smaller chunks, they could still deal with efficiencies but expand opportunities going forward.
I know very little about the inner workings of the record business, but it seems from the outside there is still a lot of money spent on things that are not core to the direct success of selling music. It also appears too much is thrown against the wall with a hope it sticks. That just leaves stains on the wall.
But it is good for the janitorial business and think of all of the paint that Sherwin Williams sells. See, with some thought, everything has a silver lining. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MusicRow.)
https://music-row-website-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/10190035/CCook-onair-3902.jpg260390contributorhttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngcontributor2013-02-15 09:56:452013-02-15 09:56:45Charlie Cook On Air: Silver Linings
LMG, Inc., a national provider of video, audio and lighting support, was recently awarded the contract as the onsite, preferred audio visual supplier for the Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn. LMG, Inc. has offices in Las Vegas, Dallas, Orlando, Fla., Tampa, Fla. and Nashville.
The Music City Center will have its grand opening celebration May 19-20.
LMG signed a multi-year audio visual contract with the Music City Center to support the facility with dedicated onsite staff and equipment. LMG’s new 24,000 square foot Nashville office and warehouse, less than five miles from the Music City Center, opened in October 2012. LMG also operates a Design Studio within walking distance of the Music City Center and provides a hands-on environment for clients to brainstorm and discuss creative ideas.
Curt Wallen
Curt Wallen has been hired by LMG as an accounts manager for the onsite operation. A resident of Nashville, Wallen has more than 20 years experience supporting event production in venues across the country and will direct the LMG onsite team at the MCC, overseeing client accounts, operations, marketing and business development.
“We are thrilled to announce our new relationship with the Music City Center, and believe this unique facility will elevate Nashville as the next great meeting destination. As a preferred provider at the MCC, we have the opportunity to focus on the Nashville convention market and offer those clients full service, high end video, audio and lighting support for every aspect of their meetings,” said Les Goldberg, CEO/President of LMG.
https://music-row-website-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/10185712/Music-City-Center1.jpg199300Jessica Nicholsonhttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngJessica Nicholson2013-02-14 15:56:332013-02-14 15:56:33LMG, Inc. Gets Music City Center Contract
Kenny Rogers‘ classic album, The Gambler, will be reissued on an 180-gram vinyl on March 12. Mastered for vinyl by Ron McMaster at Capitol Mastering, the album will be packaged in true-to-original LP sleeves with restored artwork.
Released in 1978, The Gambler featured the hit ballad “She Believes In Me” and the iconic title track, which won two Grammy Awards for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male and Best Country Song. The album is certified five-times platinum by the RIAA. Kenny Rogers: The Gambler Side 1
1. The Gambler
2. I Wish I Could Hurt That Way Again
3. King of Oak Street
4. Making Music For Money
5. The Hoodooin’ Of Miss Fannie Side 2
1. She Believes In Me
2. Tennessee Stud
3. Sleep Tight, Goodnight Man
4. A Little More Like Me (The Crucifixion)
5. San Francisco Mabel Joy
https://music-row-website-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/10185712/the-gambler1.jpg404300Jessica Nicholsonhttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngJessica Nicholson2013-02-14 15:36:442013-02-14 15:36:44Kenny Rogers' 'The Gambler' To Be Reissued on Vinyl
BMI toasted the team behind Kip Moore’s No. 1 hit “Beer Money.” Pictured are (back row, l-r): Warner/Chappell’s Ben Vaughn, producer Brett James, Universal Music Nashville’s Royce Risser, manager Shawn McSpadden, Universal Music Publishing’s Kent Earls, Internal Combustion Music’s Chris Farren, and Songs of the Corn’s Nate Lowery; (front row, l-r): co-writers Troy Verges, Kip Moore, and Blair Daly, and BMI’s Perry Howard. Photo by John Russell
Songwriters Blair Daly, Kip Moore and Troy Verges should soon have plenty of “Beer Money” burning holes in their pockets following the recent No. 1. Moore offered to pick up the tab when he sang, “Come on, come on, baby I’m buying.” But BMI and sponsor Avenue Bank let him off the hook today (Feb. 14) by hosting a lunchtime soiree at BMI to toast his second consecutive charttopper as an artist and writer. BMI’s Perry Howard led the proceedings.
Publishers taking the stage to offer and share in the congratulations were UMPG’s Kent Earls, Warner/Chappell’s Ben Vaughn, Combustion’s Chris Farren and Cornman Music’s Nate Lowery. Earls recalled how writers Verges and Daly met 20 years earlier as students at MTSU. After all their time collaborating, “Beer Money” is their first single as co-writers, penned with Moore the day before he went into the studio to record his debut album.
Verges and Daly thanked everyone involved with the song’s success. Daly joked that they waited so long to have a No. 1 because they both hate speaking in public, but assured, “let’s not make it another 20 years.”
UMG promo guru Royce Risser cheered his team members for their strong one-week push to get the track into the top spot. He also explained how Moore pens lengthy hand-written notes to radio programmers and proclaimed, “Kip, you out-work our staff.”
CMA’s Brandi Simms, CRB’s RJ Curtis, and Avenue Bank’s Cooper Samuels also presented honors.
Long known as a hit songwriter, Brett James is Moore’s biggest champion. They first met at the YMCA, where Moore was working and James was working out. James signed him to a publishing deal with Cornman Music, and produced his album. “This is family for me,” said James of the songwriters. “There’s nothing like celebrating a No. 1 with three of your best friends in the world.”
Moore recalled rough patches earlier in his career, when he lived in run-down apartment and songwriting filled his days off work. “My soul would’ve been dead if it wasn’t for music,” he explained honestly. He offered a long list of thank-yous, starting with James. “Brett James is what this town should still be about…He believed in me. It is that belief that I will never forget.” He also saluted Red Light Management’s Shawn McSpadden, and drew cheers from the audience with his toast to Marc Dennis and his team at CAA: “They wanted me when no one else did—now they look like geniuses.”
Pictured (L-R): Mike Kraski, President of Tenacity; Tracy Lawrence; Alex Torrez, Vice President of Lawrence Music Group
Lawrence Music Group (LMG) has partnered with Tenacity for support services including national radio promotion for the LMG label.
The Tenacity team, led by President Mike Kraski, includes Sr. VP Tim McFadden; David Shaw, Gary Greenberg, and Jeff Davis. The team will provide strategic national radio campaign services for artist Tracy Lawrence. “Stop, Drop And Roll,” written by songwriters Casey Beathard and Brandon Kinney, is the first single from Lawrence’s forthcoming studio album Headlights Taillights And Radios, set to release summer 2013.
“We couldn’t be more excited about our partnership with Tracy and the Lawrence Music Group team,” said Kraski, “To be associated with an artist of his stature is an honor and to be able to work some of the best music he’s ever recorded is an absolute thrill.”
• • •
Pictured (L-R): Jon Stone of duo American Young, Lee Brice (Curb Records), Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, Chris Janson (Bigger Picture Group), Jay Hamby (Lucchese, director of retail), and Allen Mitchell (Bigger Picture promotion). Photo: Karen Will Rogers.
Former World Boxing Association lightweight champion Ray “Boom Boom”Mancini joined radio promoters Damon Moberly (Mercury Nashville), Keith Gale (RCA), Jimmy Rector (EMI Nashville) and EJ Bernas (Bigger Picture Group) at Lucchese in the Gulch recently for a sponsor party for the ninth annual Ringside: A Fight for Kids boxing gala event. Ringside: A Fight For Kids will take place March 8 at The Factory in Franklin. Lucchese is a Ringside co-sponsor.
Several artists and songwriters attended in support of the event, including Jon Stone, Lee Brice, and Chris Janson.
• • •
SOLID‘s Music Row Madness Bowling Tournament benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle TN is slated for March 20 at the Hillwood Strike & Spare, from 5:30 p.m.–8 p.m. Music industry professionals are invited to register a team of five to six co-workers or friends for a night of bowling, beer and fun. All teams are encouraged to raise as much as possible and are asked to have a team goal of $750. All proceeds go directly to BBBS. The event will also feature several awards given throughout the evening, including prizes for Best Dressed Team, Most Creative Team Name, Most Money Raised and Highest Bowling Score.
The Band Perry revealed the title to its forthcoming second album–Pioneer— and released the image for the album’s cover. Pioneer releases April 2 on Republic Nashville. The trio made the announcement via a clever countdown video (watch the clip below).
The first single from the album, “Better Dig Two,” stayed at No. 1 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart for three weeks.
http://youtu.be/XElxkz_nq7I
https://music-row-website-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/10185714/tbpcover111.jpg500500Jessica Nicholsonhttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngJessica Nicholson2013-02-14 14:25:282013-02-14 14:25:28The Band Perry Reveals Sophomore Album Title, Cover
Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers will launch a 20+ city tour in May, in support of the group’s album Love Has Come For You, which releases April 23 (Rounder Records). The tour will feature Edie Brickell. The tour which kicks off May 22 in Ft. Myers, Fla. and is the first for Martin and Brickell. Love Has Come For You, features 13 rootsy compositions that combine Martin’s five-string banjo work with Brickell’s distinctive vocals and vivid, detail-rich lyrics.
Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers featuring Edie Brickell tour dates:
May-22-13 Fort Myers, Fla. Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall
May-23-13 St. Petersburg, Fla. Mahaffey Theater
May-24-13 West Palm Beach, Fla. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts
May-25-13 Tallahassee, Fla. Florida State University – Ruby Diamond Auditorium
May-26-13 St. Augustine, Fla. St. Augustine Amphitheater
May-27-13 N. Charleston, S.C. N. Charleston Performing Arts Center
May-29-13 Nashville, Tenn. Schermerhorn Symphony Center
May-30-13 Greenville, S.C. Peace Center For The Performing Arts
May-31-13 Greensboro, N.C. War Memorial Auditorium
June-21-13 Stamford, Conn. Palace Theatre
June-22-13 Morristown, N.J. Mayo Performing Arts Center
June-23-13 Kingston, N.Y. Ulster Performing Arts Center
June-24-13 * Vienna, Va. The Filene Center at Wolf Trap
June-25-13 New York Town Hall Theatre
June-27-13 Philadelphia Kimmel Center – Verizon Center
June-28-13 Chautauqua, N.Y. Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater
June-29-13* Toronto, ON Nathan Phillips Square – City Hall
June-30-13 * University Park, Pa. Penn State University – Bryce Jordan Center
July-01-13 Pittsburgh Heinz Hall
July-02-13 Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts
July-22-13 * Minneapolis State Theatre
July-24-13 * Milwaukee Riverside Theater
July-25-13 * Chicago Chicago Theatre
July-26-13 * Midland, Mich. Midland Center for the Arts
July-27-13 Indianapolis Old National Centre – Murat Theatre
July-28-13 * Kettering, Ohio Fraze Pavilion
Aug.-7-13 Los Angeles Hollywood Bowl
* denotes newly-added date
For more information, visit stevemartin.com.
https://music-row-website-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/10185715/steve-martin111.jpg303300Jessica Nicholsonhttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngJessica Nicholson2013-02-14 10:31:132013-02-14 10:31:13Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers Launch Tour in May
There’ll Be No Teardrops Tonight Season 1 | Episode 113
Ever the professional, Rayna pent up her emotions about her pending divorce to maintain a strong front on the road. But she wasn’t fooling Deacon, who knew something was up, though she wouldn’t say what. Finally she had a breakdown after a night of partying at a honky-tonk (The Stage) with producer Liam, which led to plenty of flirting and a kiss before she ended up in a puddle of tears in the bathroom of his hotel room.
Elsewhere in the Atlanta hotel (played by the Sheraton Downtown Nashville), Juliette was having a meltdown of a different kind. In the middle of the night, fueled by a few too many energy drinks, she banged on the doors of her band and entourage, bringing them out into the hall for a screaming fit about how she is their boss, not her manager Glen. She and Glen had been butting heads over her desire for a more organic, less pop-y sound. Glen quit on the spot. The next morning, Deacon gave Juliette a dose of reality: that her midnight “performance” was no way to win the affection of her team. She softened up by the time she returned to Nashville, and invited her mom to move in with her after she gets out of rehab.
Then Deacon got his own dose of reality when he saw Rayna and Liam making googly eyes at each other in the hotel lobby.
Click to send “Nashville” love this Valentine’s, with these e-cards.
The whole episode led up to Rayna returning home to Nashville to break the news of the divorce to her daughters. But oldest daughter, Maddie, had already overheard dad Teddy on the phone with his new lover Peggy (Kimberly Williams Paisley), and didn’t hesitate to spill the beans to her mom. (In another bombshell waiting to explode, Teddy is not Maddie’s biological father—Deacon is.)
Scarlett and Gunnar’s new song “Casino” played during a montage which included the teary-eyed scene where Rayna and Teddy tell their daughters. The song was written by Morgan Hayes and Natalie Hemby (see video below).
In more upbeat news, Scarlett and Gunnar received a call from Watty White that Rayna is interested in signing them to her new imprint. Elsewhere, Avery considered inking a deal of his own, after receiving a $100k publishing advance. And things got rocky on the homefront for new roommies Scarlett and Gunnar, when his brother arrived in town from Texas, where he is a wanted fugitive. It looks like there is going to be plenty more to this plotline in the next episode on Feb. 27.
Expect that show to be packed full of cameos including Dan Auerbach, Vince Gill and Kip Moore. During Deacon’s birthday party, Rayna will sing with Pam Tillis and Kate York, as well as her uncle Watty White (JD Souther) and Adria (Erin McCarley). But Juliette’s performance will be derailed by her mother. And Rayna and Teddy’s divorce will get unwelcome tabloid press. The Tennessean reports Mayor Karl Dean also guested in a recent shoot, but didn’t the final cut.
https://music-row-website-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/10185715/ray.jpeg380570Sarah Skateshttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngSarah Skates2013-02-14 10:13:242013-02-14 10:13:24Primetime 'Nashville': There’ll Be No Teardrops Tonight
Nashville vocal coach Renee Grant-Williams, who has worked with celebrities including Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Miley Cyrus and Linda Ronstadt, will present a one-day seminar to singers of all styles, skills and experience levels. After a five-year hiatus, Grant-Williams is bringing back her popular and highly successful Vocal Master Class.
This year’s class titled “Fearless Solutions For Singers” will be held on Saturday, April 13 at Soundcheck Rehearsal Studios in Nashville. The cost is $299 and participants can register online at www.myvoicecoach.com or by calling 615-244-3280.
“I’m so excited about this year’s Master Class,” says Grant-Williams. “The music business is in the throes of great change and it’s an exciting time to be pursuing music as a full time career. Our afternoon panel (TBA) will help attendees understand the impact of these changes on their future.”
The class will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and will be devoted to exploring the vocal techniques that have aided the vocal health of artists including Faith Hill, Jason Aldean, Dixie Chicks and many others. The session also includes “This New Business Of Singing,” a panel discussion various industry executive that will focus on the ever-changing landscape of the music industry.
https://music-row-website-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/10185715/RGWilliams1.jpg402300Jessica Nicholsonhttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngJessica Nicholson2013-02-14 10:00:232013-02-14 10:00:23Vocal Coach Renee Grant-Williams To Hold Master Class in April
'Country Comes To New York' Panel Added To CRS 2013
/by Eric T. ParkerLew Dickey
Country Radio Seminar has added the panel, “Country Comes To New York – A Conversation With Lew Dickey,” to its agenda of educational workshops for CRS 2013.
Journalist Phyllis Stark and RJ Curtis will lead the discussion with CEO and Chairman of Cumulus Media, Lew Dickey. The discussion is expected to cover the recent re-launch of a Country station in New York City as well as the implications for the genre after a decade of absence from the city. Other items to be covered include the new NASH brand and the company’s overall commitment to the country format.
Dickey co-founded Cumulus in 1997 and has built the company to become the second largest radio broadcasting company in America. Cumulus employs over 7,000 people with revenue of $1.2 billion. Dickey also founded Stratford Research in 1985, which provides market research and strategy consulting to the radio and television industries. He is also the author of The Franchise – Building Radio Brands.
The CRS panel is set for Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013 from 11:00 – 11:50 a.m. in room 208 of the Nashville Convention Center.
CRS 2013 will be held Feb. 27 – March 1, 2013, in downtown Nashville, Tenn. Friday, Feb. 15 is the deadline to purchase registrations at the $499 regular rate in addition to the $99 unemployment rate expiring.
For more information, visit countryradioseminar.com.
Charlie Cook On Air: Silver Linings
/by contributorThe businesses we make our living in today are not the businesses we got into years ago. In those days the record companies were flush with money (apparently by the way they spent money on getaways, salaries and contracts). Radio was never really flush with money. Even in the old days many stations barely got by and often did so with trade relationships with local sponsors. Salaries were never high in my end of the radio business. I was making less than $1000 a month when I worked in Denver years ago. The other side to that figure? According to the Department of Labor, my salary back then is equal to $53,000 a year today. Isn’t inflation fun? If only I knew I was doing so well back then. If there are any small market disc jockeys reading this, believe me they are asking where that $53K a year job is.
I am fortunate to have a job. I know that. I love my job(s) and I talk to folks every week that are looking for work. Most often it is not to move up in market size or to make more money. It is because they are out of work. Consolidation took and continues to take a toll on broadcasters. I am not against consolidation. I am not even against voice tracking if done correctly. I am in favor of efficiency. Consolidation and voice tracking are both efficient.
I look at labels and it seems there are less people working music today. It seems the hits came from the upper reaches of labels and folks just moved up without really being replaced below. Of course there are less labels today and thus fewer positions. There are certainly less sales today than 5-10 years ago but that appears to be coming back along with downloads, which is a new pipeline to the consumer.
The businesses we got into years ago are never going to reach the employment levels of the past years. Even if the music business sees resurgence and first week sales for the No. 1 CD jumps from 130,000 to 600,000, the business model is never going to allow for re-staffing. Radio is NEVER going to do away with voice-tracking. It is never going to break up clusters and sell to local broadcasters again.
My company, West Virginia Radio Corporation, owns 32 stations in eight markets with the corporate headquarters in Morgantown, but I can be at any of the clusters in less than three hours. We think of the company as being locally operated, even if there is a corporate structure in place. I can tell you if the radio business could get back to smaller chunks or at least operated like smaller chunks, they could still deal with efficiencies but expand opportunities going forward.
I know very little about the inner workings of the record business, but it seems from the outside there is still a lot of money spent on things that are not core to the direct success of selling music. It also appears too much is thrown against the wall with a hope it sticks. That just leaves stains on the wall.
But it is good for the janitorial business and think of all of the paint that Sherwin Williams sells. See, with some thought, everything has a silver lining.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MusicRow.)
LMG, Inc. Gets Music City Center Contract
/by Jessica NicholsonThe Music City Center will have its grand opening celebration May 19-20.
LMG signed a multi-year audio visual contract with the Music City Center to support the facility with dedicated onsite staff and equipment. LMG’s new 24,000 square foot Nashville office and warehouse, less than five miles from the Music City Center, opened in October 2012. LMG also operates a Design Studio within walking distance of the Music City Center and provides a hands-on environment for clients to brainstorm and discuss creative ideas.
Curt Wallen
Curt Wallen has been hired by LMG as an accounts manager for the onsite operation. A resident of Nashville, Wallen has more than 20 years experience supporting event production in venues across the country and will direct the LMG onsite team at the MCC, overseeing client accounts, operations, marketing and business development.
“We are thrilled to announce our new relationship with the Music City Center, and believe this unique facility will elevate Nashville as the next great meeting destination. As a preferred provider at the MCC, we have the opportunity to focus on the Nashville convention market and offer those clients full service, high end video, audio and lighting support for every aspect of their meetings,” said Les Goldberg, CEO/President of LMG.
Kenny Rogers' 'The Gambler' To Be Reissued on Vinyl
/by Jessica NicholsonReleased in 1978, The Gambler featured the hit ballad “She Believes In Me” and the iconic title track, which won two Grammy Awards for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male and Best Country Song. The album is certified five-times platinum by the RIAA.
Kenny Rogers: The Gambler
Side 1
1. The Gambler
2. I Wish I Could Hurt That Way Again
3. King of Oak Street
4. Making Music For Money
5. The Hoodooin’ Of Miss Fannie
Side 2
1. She Believes In Me
2. Tennessee Stud
3. Sleep Tight, Goodnight Man
4. A Little More Like Me (The Crucifixion)
5. San Francisco Mabel Joy
Music Row Toasts Charttopper "Beer Money"
/by Sarah SkatesBMI toasted the team behind Kip Moore’s No. 1 hit “Beer Money.”
Pictured are (back row, l-r): Warner/Chappell’s Ben Vaughn, producer Brett James, Universal Music Nashville’s Royce Risser, manager Shawn McSpadden, Universal Music Publishing’s Kent Earls, Internal Combustion Music’s Chris Farren, and Songs of the Corn’s Nate Lowery; (front row, l-r): co-writers Troy Verges, Kip Moore, and Blair Daly, and BMI’s Perry Howard. Photo by John Russell
Songwriters Blair Daly, Kip Moore and Troy Verges should soon have plenty of “Beer Money” burning holes in their pockets following the recent No. 1. Moore offered to pick up the tab when he sang, “Come on, come on, baby I’m buying.” But BMI and sponsor Avenue Bank let him off the hook today (Feb. 14) by hosting a lunchtime soiree at BMI to toast his second consecutive charttopper as an artist and writer. BMI’s Perry Howard led the proceedings.
Publishers taking the stage to offer and share in the congratulations were UMPG’s Kent Earls, Warner/Chappell’s Ben Vaughn, Combustion’s Chris Farren and Cornman Music’s Nate Lowery. Earls recalled how writers Verges and Daly met 20 years earlier as students at MTSU. After all their time collaborating, “Beer Money” is their first single as co-writers, penned with Moore the day before he went into the studio to record his debut album.
Verges and Daly thanked everyone involved with the song’s success. Daly joked that they waited so long to have a No. 1 because they both hate speaking in public, but assured, “let’s not make it another 20 years.”
UMG promo guru Royce Risser cheered his team members for their strong one-week push to get the track into the top spot. He also explained how Moore pens lengthy hand-written notes to radio programmers and proclaimed, “Kip, you out-work our staff.”
CMA’s Brandi Simms, CRB’s RJ Curtis, and Avenue Bank’s Cooper Samuels also presented honors.
Long known as a hit songwriter, Brett James is Moore’s biggest champion. They first met at the YMCA, where Moore was working and James was working out. James signed him to a publishing deal with Cornman Music, and produced his album. “This is family for me,” said James of the songwriters. “There’s nothing like celebrating a No. 1 with three of your best friends in the world.”
Moore recalled rough patches earlier in his career, when he lived in run-down apartment and songwriting filled his days off work. “My soul would’ve been dead if it wasn’t for music,” he explained honestly. He offered a long list of thank-yous, starting with James. “Brett James is what this town should still be about…He believed in me. It is that belief that I will never forget.” He also saluted Red Light Management’s Shawn McSpadden, and drew cheers from the audience with his toast to Marc Dennis and his team at CAA: “They wanted me when no one else did—now they look like geniuses.”
Industry Ink (2/14/13)
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Mike Kraski, President of Tenacity; Tracy Lawrence; Alex Torrez, Vice President of Lawrence Music Group
Lawrence Music Group (LMG) has partnered with Tenacity for support services including national radio promotion for the LMG label.
The Tenacity team, led by President Mike Kraski, includes Sr. VP Tim McFadden; David Shaw, Gary Greenberg, and Jeff Davis. The team will provide strategic national radio campaign services for artist Tracy Lawrence. “Stop, Drop And Roll,” written by songwriters Casey Beathard and Brandon Kinney, is the first single from Lawrence’s forthcoming studio album Headlights Taillights And Radios, set to release summer 2013.
“We couldn’t be more excited about our partnership with Tracy and the Lawrence Music Group team,” said Kraski, “To be associated with an artist of his stature is an honor and to be able to work some of the best music he’s ever recorded is an absolute thrill.”
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Pictured (L-R): Jon Stone of duo American Young, Lee Brice (Curb Records), Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, Chris Janson (Bigger Picture Group), Jay Hamby (Lucchese, director of retail), and Allen Mitchell (Bigger Picture promotion). Photo: Karen Will Rogers.
Former World Boxing Association lightweight champion Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini joined radio promoters Damon Moberly (Mercury Nashville), Keith Gale (RCA), Jimmy Rector (EMI Nashville) and EJ Bernas (Bigger Picture Group) at Lucchese in the Gulch recently for a sponsor party for the ninth annual Ringside: A Fight for Kids boxing gala event. Ringside: A Fight For Kids will take place March 8 at The Factory in Franklin. Lucchese is a Ringside co-sponsor.
Several artists and songwriters attended in support of the event, including Jon Stone, Lee Brice, and Chris Janson.
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The Band Perry Reveals Sophomore Album Title, Cover
/by Jessica NicholsonThe Band Perry revealed the title to its forthcoming second album–Pioneer— and released the image for the album’s cover. Pioneer releases April 2 on Republic Nashville. The trio made the announcement via a clever countdown video (watch the clip below).
The first single from the album, “Better Dig Two,” stayed at No. 1 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart for three weeks.
http://youtu.be/XElxkz_nq7I
Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers Launch Tour in May
/by Jessica NicholsonLove Has Come For You, features 13 rootsy compositions that combine Martin’s five-string banjo work with Brickell’s distinctive vocals and vivid, detail-rich lyrics.
Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers featuring Edie Brickell tour dates:
May-22-13 Fort Myers, Fla. Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall
May-23-13 St. Petersburg, Fla. Mahaffey Theater
May-24-13 West Palm Beach, Fla. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts
May-25-13 Tallahassee, Fla. Florida State University – Ruby Diamond Auditorium
May-26-13 St. Augustine, Fla. St. Augustine Amphitheater
May-27-13 N. Charleston, S.C. N. Charleston Performing Arts Center
May-29-13 Nashville, Tenn. Schermerhorn Symphony Center
May-30-13 Greenville, S.C. Peace Center For The Performing Arts
May-31-13 Greensboro, N.C. War Memorial Auditorium
June-21-13 Stamford, Conn. Palace Theatre
June-22-13 Morristown, N.J. Mayo Performing Arts Center
June-23-13 Kingston, N.Y. Ulster Performing Arts Center
June-24-13 * Vienna, Va. The Filene Center at Wolf Trap
June-25-13 New York Town Hall Theatre
June-27-13 Philadelphia Kimmel Center – Verizon Center
June-28-13 Chautauqua, N.Y. Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater
June-29-13* Toronto, ON Nathan Phillips Square – City Hall
June-30-13 * University Park, Pa. Penn State University – Bryce Jordan Center
July-01-13 Pittsburgh Heinz Hall
July-02-13 Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts
July-22-13 * Minneapolis State Theatre
July-24-13 * Milwaukee Riverside Theater
July-25-13 * Chicago Chicago Theatre
July-26-13 * Midland, Mich. Midland Center for the Arts
July-27-13 Indianapolis Old National Centre – Murat Theatre
July-28-13 * Kettering, Ohio Fraze Pavilion
Aug.-7-13 Los Angeles Hollywood Bowl
* denotes newly-added date
For more information, visit stevemartin.com.
Primetime 'Nashville': There’ll Be No Teardrops Tonight
/by Sarah SkatesIt’s gettin’ hot between Rayna and Liam.
There’ll Be No Teardrops Tonight
Season 1 | Episode 113
Ever the professional, Rayna pent up her emotions about her pending divorce to maintain a strong front on the road. But she wasn’t fooling Deacon, who knew something was up, though she wouldn’t say what. Finally she had a breakdown after a night of partying at a honky-tonk (The Stage) with producer Liam, which led to plenty of flirting and a kiss before she ended up in a puddle of tears in the bathroom of his hotel room.
Elsewhere in the Atlanta hotel (played by the Sheraton Downtown Nashville), Juliette was having a meltdown of a different kind. In the middle of the night, fueled by a few too many energy drinks, she banged on the doors of her band and entourage, bringing them out into the hall for a screaming fit about how she is their boss, not her manager Glen. She and Glen had been butting heads over her desire for a more organic, less pop-y sound. Glen quit on the spot. The next morning, Deacon gave Juliette a dose of reality: that her midnight “performance” was no way to win the affection of her team. She softened up by the time she returned to Nashville, and invited her mom to move in with her after she gets out of rehab.
Then Deacon got his own dose of reality when he saw Rayna and Liam making googly eyes at each other in the hotel lobby.
Click to send “Nashville” love this Valentine’s, with these e-cards.
The whole episode led up to Rayna returning home to Nashville to break the news of the divorce to her daughters. But oldest daughter, Maddie, had already overheard dad Teddy on the phone with his new lover Peggy (Kimberly Williams Paisley), and didn’t hesitate to spill the beans to her mom. (In another bombshell waiting to explode, Teddy is not Maddie’s biological father—Deacon is.)
Scarlett and Gunnar’s new song “Casino” played during a montage which included the teary-eyed scene where Rayna and Teddy tell their daughters. The song was written by Morgan Hayes and Natalie Hemby (see video below).
In more upbeat news, Scarlett and Gunnar received a call from Watty White that Rayna is interested in signing them to her new imprint. Elsewhere, Avery considered inking a deal of his own, after receiving a $100k publishing advance. And things got rocky on the homefront for new roommies Scarlett and Gunnar, when his brother arrived in town from Texas, where he is a wanted fugitive. It looks like there is going to be plenty more to this plotline in the next episode on Feb. 27.
Expect that show to be packed full of cameos including Dan Auerbach, Vince Gill and Kip Moore. During Deacon’s birthday party, Rayna will sing with Pam Tillis and Kate York, as well as her uncle Watty White (JD Souther) and Adria (Erin McCarley). But Juliette’s performance will be derailed by her mother. And Rayna and Teddy’s divorce will get unwelcome tabloid press. The Tennessean reports Mayor Karl Dean also guested in a recent shoot, but didn’t the final cut.
Vocal Coach Renee Grant-Williams To Hold Master Class in April
/by Jessica Nicholson“I’m so excited about this year’s Master Class,” says Grant-Williams. “The music business is in the throes of great change and it’s an exciting time to be pursuing music as a full time career. Our afternoon panel (TBA) will help attendees understand the impact of these changes on their future.”
The class will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and will be devoted to exploring the vocal techniques that have aided the vocal health of artists including Faith Hill, Jason Aldean, Dixie Chicks and many others. The session also includes “This New Business Of Singing,” a panel discussion various industry executive that will focus on the ever-changing landscape of the music industry.