The race for Disc of the Day ends in a tie between Church and Moore.
The stars are twinkling in DisClaimer this week.
With fine new music from Darius, Kris, Kip and Eric, my ears were dazzled again and again. Tim and Billy Ray are here as well. Newcomers Jaida Dreyer, Sheila Marshall, Brandon Jenkins and Taylor Made got their licks in, too.
Jaida made her debut with a Christmas single a few weeks ago, so that leaves
Sheila Marshall as our
DisCovery Award winner.
I am declaring a tie for
Disc of the Day. Both “Hey Pretty Girl” by
Kip Moore and “Like Jesus Does” by
Eric Church are essential listening.
SHEILA MARSHALL/Can’t Let Go
Writer: Randy Weeks; Producer: Ken Tondre; Publisher: Bug/EMI, ASCAP; Gerriec
—Sidewinder guitars and a rumbling backbeat introduce the track. Then comes her strikingly bluesy, alto snarl. This baby rocks. Songwriter Weeks was a founding member of The Lonesome Strangers, and his song was previously popularized by Lucinda Williams. But Marshall makes it her own. Sing on, sister.
KIP MOORE/Hey Pretty Girl
Writer: Kip Moore/Dan Couch; Producer: Brett James; Publisher: Music of Stage Three/Songs of Cornman/Roll Through/BMG Chrysalis/Songs From the Couch, BMI; MCA Nashville (track)
—My favorite new artist bats three for three with this swirling, dreamy come-on. His husky vocal whispers intimacy while guitars chime all around him. As magical as “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck” and “Beer Money” and then some.
DisCovery Winner Shelia Marshall
—She’s a sure nuff country singer. Alas, the guy she falls for has wanderlust and splits while her tears fall. From vocal performance to songwriting to production, this is class all the way around.
KRIS KRISTOFFERSON/Feeling Mortal
Writer: Kris Kristofferson; Producer: Don Was; Publisher: Jody Ray, BMI; KK (track)
—This Country Music Hall of Fame and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member is still creating songs that are as powerful as ever. This title tune of his CD that came out this week is a meditation on the sundown side of life by the 76-year-old legend. It’s not depressing, but instead is warm and gracious and grateful for a life well lived. This whole project is the work of a true artist. Celebrate him.
TAYLOR MADE/That’s What Life Is
Writer: David Lowe/Gerald Smith/Johnny Holland; Producer: Dan Mitchell/Dale Morris; Publisher: Laci Morgan/Melody Roundup/Harmony Roundup, BMI/ASCAP; LGR
—There’s way too much going on in the production during the choruses, including over-the-top strings. But he has a pleasant, earnest voice, the song is solid and the bopping tempo is infectious.
ERIC CHURCH/Like Jesus Does
Writer: Casey Beathard/Monty Criswell; Producer: Jay Joyce; Publisher: Sony-ATV Acuff Rose/Six Ring Circus/Sony ATV Tree, BMI; EMI (track)
—I love this artist so much it’s ridiculous. This moody slice of audio perfection showcases one of his most expressive vocal performances to date. The lyric portrays a sinner who is loved unconditionally despite his shortcomings. Records like this are why he is the future of country music.
BRANDON JENKINS/Through the Fire
Writer: Brandon Jenkins; Producer: David Percefull & Brandon Jenkins; Publisher: Westen Soul, BMI; Smith Entertainment (track)
—Jenkins wrote all the songs on his Dallas-recorded CD. This stark, stately, slowly paced title tune is dominated by his harmonica wails and throaty, strangely compelling vocals. An intriguing new stylist.
TIM McGRAW & COLT FORD/Twisted
Writer: Colt Ford/Scott Weaterwax/Wayne Hardnett; Producer: Scott Weatherwax & Shannon Houchins; Publisher: Average ZJS/Planet Crusher/ZJS, BMI/SESAC/ASCAP; Curb (CDX)
—McGraw’s singing part is engaging. Ford’s monotonic, dominating, hillbilly rapping, not so much.
DARIUS RUCKER/Wagon Wheel
Writer: Bob Dylan/Ketch Secor; Producer: Frank Rogers; Publisher: Special Rider/Blood Donor, SESAC/BMI; Capitol Nashville (CDX)
—The surprise Old Crow Medicine Show phenomenon is now a mainstream country single. Rucker and producer Rogers give the ultra catchy number some extra bounce, a few banjo plunks, lots of jaunty fiddling and backup vocals by Lady Antebellum. In a word, delightful. The song’s back story is that Dylan sketched out its chorus, but left it unfinished. It circulated as a bootleg. Old Crow member Secor worked up the verses to complete it. Its undeniable sing-along qualities did the rest. Rucker joined the band singing it on the Opry stage last July, and the audience went ape.
BILLY RAY CYRUS/Hillbilly Heart
Writer: Billy Ray Cyrus; Producer: Brandon Friesen; Publisher: Suunageronimo, BMI; Blue Cadillac (CDX)
—It’s a country-rock stomper about keeping it country.
Country At The Ryman
/by Sarah SkatesTickets for Gary Allan’s Wednesday, April 17 show go on sale tomorrow (Feb. 1) at 10 AM. Allan’s album Set You Free debuted at No. 1 this week on the Country Album charts with sales of 106k units.
Vince Gill and friends will perform April 9 at the 14th annual Jammin’ to Beat the Blues concert to benefit Mental Health America of Middle Tennessee. This is Gill’s fifth consecutive year headlining the popular show.
Alan Jackson’s March 20 concert sold out in less than four hours but VIP packages are still available. The event is the 5th annual Stars Go Blue Benefit Concert in celebration of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. VIP Experience tickets are $500 and include “gold circle” seating, a meet and greet with Jackson and more. $225 of your ticket purchase is tax-deductible. VIP details here.
MusicRowRecess: National Anthems Gone Country
/by Jessica NicholsonWith the Super Bowl XLVII coming up in New Orleans on Sunday (Feb. 3), one of the most burning questions for some viewers–besides which team will take home football’s ultimate trophy–will no doubt be, ‘Will the national anthem singer be fantastic or a miss?’
The Super Bowl has seen its share of country music performers masterfully sing the wordy patriotic tune and nail the tricky high notes (who doesn’t wonder for a split second if the national anthem singer will hit the phrase ‘land of the free’ with strength and clarity while several million people watch in person, on television and via the internet?).
In the spirit of the Super Bowl, here’s a review of some of country music’s stars giving it their all.
Faith Hill, Super Bowl XXXIV, Georgia Dome in Atlanta (2000)
Dixie Chicks, Super Bowl XXXVI, Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego (2003)
Carrie Underwood, Super Bowl XLIV, Sun Life Stadium in Miami (2010)
Kelly Clarkson, Super Bowl XLVI, Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis (2012)
Finally, a collection of snippets from numerous Super Bowl national anthems through the years (don’t miss a snippet of Garth Brooks from the 1993 Super Bowl at the 1:19 mark)
http://youtu.be/gJLHmPtJqTQ
Blaster Records Signs Jared Ashley
/by Jessica Nicholson“We’re long-time believers in Jared’s talents as an artist and songwriter,” said Dennison. “He has been a client of Blaster Music’s management division for quite some time and with the recent expansion of our Nashville label team, we wanted him to have the opportunity to keep his music with the people who know him best.”
In addition to an aggressive touring schedule that sees him perform 180+ shows per year, Ashley is a prolific songwriter, co-writing eleven of the fourteen tracks on his 2011 self-released debut album. At least five of those songs are being retooled for inclusion Ashley’s Blaster full-length debut, along with a selection of newer songs he’s been writing.
Ashley will begin a national radio tour the first week of February in support of his debut single, “Last Train To Memphis,” with the track shipping to radio in the spring. Ashley’s as-yet-untitled album is tentatively scheduled for fall release through Blaster Records’ partnership with Warner Music Nashville.
“Blaster Records has grown so much in the last year and I’m thrilled to be able to keep my records in the family,” said Ashley. “These guys know me, believe in me and are passionate about the music that I’m making. I can’t wait to get out there and start making friends at country radio!”
Ashley, who joins a Blaster Records roster that includes Hank Williams, Jr., Aaron Lewis, and Brother Trouble amongst others, is sponsored by Epiphone, Eminience and GHS Strings.
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame To Music City Center
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): CMA Chief Executive Officer, Steve Moore; 2011-12 Chairman of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation Board, John Van Mol; CMA Board Chairman, Troy Tomlinson; and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member and Chair of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation Board, Pat Alger.
The CMA Foundation has donated $250,000 to help construct the first-ever physical Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame at the new Music City Center.
“Songwriters are an important constituency group for the Country Music Association,” said CMA Board Chairman and member of the CMA Foundation Troy Tomlinson. “For the CMA Foundation to see fit to honor the songwriters in order to preserve the legacy of their work and creative impact on the format, speaks to the very heart of why the CMA Foundation was created.”
The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame will include two elements.The Hall of Fame inside the Music City Center will include graphic displays and artifacts as well as a state-of-the-art interactive, digital exhibit. Outside the Music City Center’s Hall of Fame lobby will be a Songwriter’s Square complex, consisting of an exterior plaza and stair-step walkway that will be engraved with the names of Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame members, the year they were inducted and the title of their most well-known composition. The project will be revealed when the Music City Center opens this summer.
“Honoring the accomplishments of our songwriting community is important to CMA,” said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “The CMA Foundation’s decision to fund this important initiative is just another example of our commitment to preserving the legacy and recognizing excellence in our songwriter community.”
“We are truly overwhelmed at this lead gift from the CMA Foundation as the ultimate show of respect and admiration for songwriters,” said John Van Mol, 2011-12 Chairman of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation Board and CEO of DVL Public Relations & Advertising. “It is a big and important exclamation point as we continue to work on securing long-term operating funds so this Hall of Fame can be enjoyed for generations to come.”
“This is a wonderful opportunity for us to outreach to this important constituent group and demonstrate our appreciation for the outstanding talent and undeniable contributions made by our songwriters to the popularity and vitality of Country Music,” said Kitty Moon Emery, Chair of The CMA Foundation Board of Directors.
DisClaimer: The Stars Are Twinkling This Week
/by Robert K OermannThe race for Disc of the Day ends in a tie between Church and Moore.
The stars are twinkling in DisClaimer this week.
With fine new music from Darius, Kris, Kip and Eric, my ears were dazzled again and again. Tim and Billy Ray are here as well. Newcomers Jaida Dreyer, Sheila Marshall, Brandon Jenkins and Taylor Made got their licks in, too.
Jaida made her debut with a Christmas single a few weeks ago, so that leaves Sheila Marshall as our DisCovery Award winner.
I am declaring a tie for Disc of the Day. Both “Hey Pretty Girl” by Kip Moore and “Like Jesus Does” by Eric Church are essential listening.
SHEILA MARSHALL/Can’t Let Go
Writer: Randy Weeks; Producer: Ken Tondre; Publisher: Bug/EMI, ASCAP; Gerriec
—Sidewinder guitars and a rumbling backbeat introduce the track. Then comes her strikingly bluesy, alto snarl. This baby rocks. Songwriter Weeks was a founding member of The Lonesome Strangers, and his song was previously popularized by Lucinda Williams. But Marshall makes it her own. Sing on, sister.
KIP MOORE/Hey Pretty Girl
Writer: Kip Moore/Dan Couch; Producer: Brett James; Publisher: Music of Stage Three/Songs of Cornman/Roll Through/BMG Chrysalis/Songs From the Couch, BMI; MCA Nashville (track)
—My favorite new artist bats three for three with this swirling, dreamy come-on. His husky vocal whispers intimacy while guitars chime all around him. As magical as “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck” and “Beer Money” and then some.
DisCovery Winner Shelia Marshall
JAIDA DREYER/Half Broke Horses
Writer: Jaida Dreyer/Lance Miller/Brett Warren/Brad Warren; Producer: Byron Gallimore; Publisher: none listed; Streamsound
—She’s a sure nuff country singer. Alas, the guy she falls for has wanderlust and splits while her tears fall. From vocal performance to songwriting to production, this is class all the way around.
KRIS KRISTOFFERSON/Feeling Mortal
Writer: Kris Kristofferson; Producer: Don Was; Publisher: Jody Ray, BMI; KK (track)
—This Country Music Hall of Fame and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member is still creating songs that are as powerful as ever. This title tune of his CD that came out this week is a meditation on the sundown side of life by the 76-year-old legend. It’s not depressing, but instead is warm and gracious and grateful for a life well lived. This whole project is the work of a true artist. Celebrate him.
TAYLOR MADE/That’s What Life Is
Writer: David Lowe/Gerald Smith/Johnny Holland; Producer: Dan Mitchell/Dale Morris; Publisher: Laci Morgan/Melody Roundup/Harmony Roundup, BMI/ASCAP; LGR
—There’s way too much going on in the production during the choruses, including over-the-top strings. But he has a pleasant, earnest voice, the song is solid and the bopping tempo is infectious.
ERIC CHURCH/Like Jesus Does
Writer: Casey Beathard/Monty Criswell; Producer: Jay Joyce; Publisher: Sony-ATV Acuff Rose/Six Ring Circus/Sony ATV Tree, BMI; EMI (track)
—I love this artist so much it’s ridiculous. This moody slice of audio perfection showcases one of his most expressive vocal performances to date. The lyric portrays a sinner who is loved unconditionally despite his shortcomings. Records like this are why he is the future of country music.
BRANDON JENKINS/Through the Fire
Writer: Brandon Jenkins; Producer: David Percefull & Brandon Jenkins; Publisher: Westen Soul, BMI; Smith Entertainment (track)
—Jenkins wrote all the songs on his Dallas-recorded CD. This stark, stately, slowly paced title tune is dominated by his harmonica wails and throaty, strangely compelling vocals. An intriguing new stylist.
TIM McGRAW & COLT FORD/Twisted
Writer: Colt Ford/Scott Weaterwax/Wayne Hardnett; Producer: Scott Weatherwax & Shannon Houchins; Publisher: Average ZJS/Planet Crusher/ZJS, BMI/SESAC/ASCAP; Curb (CDX)
—McGraw’s singing part is engaging. Ford’s monotonic, dominating, hillbilly rapping, not so much.
DARIUS RUCKER/Wagon Wheel
Writer: Bob Dylan/Ketch Secor; Producer: Frank Rogers; Publisher: Special Rider/Blood Donor, SESAC/BMI; Capitol Nashville (CDX)
—The surprise Old Crow Medicine Show phenomenon is now a mainstream country single. Rucker and producer Rogers give the ultra catchy number some extra bounce, a few banjo plunks, lots of jaunty fiddling and backup vocals by Lady Antebellum. In a word, delightful. The song’s back story is that Dylan sketched out its chorus, but left it unfinished. It circulated as a bootleg. Old Crow member Secor worked up the verses to complete it. Its undeniable sing-along qualities did the rest. Rucker joined the band singing it on the Opry stage last July, and the audience went ape.
BILLY RAY CYRUS/Hillbilly Heart
Writer: Billy Ray Cyrus; Producer: Brandon Friesen; Publisher: Suunageronimo, BMI; Blue Cadillac (CDX)
—It’s a country-rock stomper about keeping it country.
All For The Hall New York Adds Performers
/by Jessica NicholsonAll For The Hall New York will be held at the Best Buy Theater on Feb. 26.
Tickets for mezzanine seating (performance only) will go on sale on Saturday (Feb. 2) at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets, priced at $200 and $150, can be purchased though the Best Buy Theater box office or via Ticketmaster.com. A limited number of VIP tables and floor seats are still available for purchase at $1,000, $10,000 and $25,000 levels.
A full list of table and ticket levels and benefits can be found at countrymusichalloffame.org/afthny. All for the Hall New York is chaired by AEG Live chairman Tim Leiweke and produced by CAA’s Rod Essig, Vector Management’s Ken Levitan and BMI’s Jody Williams.
Kenny Chesney Partners with Music and Memory
/by Caitlin RantalaKenny Chesney has collaborated with non-profit Music and Memory to help bring personalized music players to seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia.
The practice has been found to be tremendously therapeutic, leading to improved social engagement and quality of life regardless of the patient’s physical, cognitive, or social condition.
Watch Chesney’s PSA on behalf of Music & Memory below:
CMA Presents Triple Play Awards
/by Sarah SkatesCMA leadership gathers with the newly named CMA Triple Play Award winning songwriters on Jan. 29, 2013 at Marathon Music Works in Nashville, Tenn. Back row (l-r): CMA Board President, Ed Hardy; Neil Thrasher; Rodney Clawson; Ben Hayslip; CMA Chief Executive Officer, Steve Moore; Josh Kear; CMA Board Chairman, Troy Tomlinson; and Brantley Gilbert. Front row (l-r): Eric Paslay; Dierks Bentley; Shane McAnally; and Chris Young. Photo credit: Donn Jones/CMA
CMA Triple Play Awards, honoring songwriters who pen three chart-topping hits in a 12-month period, were presented yesterday (Jan. 29) at the CMA Songwriters Luncheon. Twelve songwriters achieved the feat: Dierks Bentley, Rodney Clawson, Eric Church, Brantley Gilbert, Ben Hayslip, Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley, Shane McAnally, Eric Paslay, Neil Thrasher and Chris Young.
Presiding over the event at Marathon Music Works was CMA Board Chairman Troy Tomlinson, President and CEO, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville. During the luncheon, he presented a $250,000 donation from the CMA Foundation to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation to help construct the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame at the new Music City Center and “Songwriters Square,” an exterior plaza and walkway leading into the state-of-the-art Center, which will be engraved with the names of Songwriters Hall of Fame members and the titles of their most beloved compositions.
In alphabetical order, the recipients of CMA’s Triple Play Award:
Dierks Bentley: “Am I The Only One,” “Home,” “5-1-5-0”
Rodney Clawson: “Drink On It,” “Drunk On You,” “Take A Little Ride”
Eric Church: “Drink In My Hand,” “Springsteen,” “Creepin’”
Brantley Gilbert: “Dirt Road Anthem,” “Country Must Be Country Wide” “You Don’t Know Her Like I Do”
Ben Hayslip: “Honey Bee,” “I Don’t Want This Night To End,” “I’m Gonna Love You Through It”
Dave Haywood: “Just A Kiss,” “We Owned The Night,” “Dancin’ Away With My Heart”
Josh Kear: “Dancin’ Away With My Heart,” “Drunk On You,” “Blown Away”
Charles Kelley: “Just A Kiss,” “We Owned The Night.” “Dancin’ Away With My Heart”
Shane McAnally: “Alone With You,” “Come Over,” “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye”
Eric Paslay: “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” “Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” “Angel Eyes”
Neil Thrasher: “Tattoos On This Town,” “Banjo,” “Fly Over States”
Chris Young: “Voices,” “Tomorrow,” “You”
Weekly Register: Gary Allan, Randy Houser Debuts
/by bossrossTim McGraw’s Curb project was also unveiled, scanning 3.3k and landing at No. 18. McGraw has left Curb Records, so the superstar’s energies have been focused on his upcoming Big Machine album, Two Lanes of Freedom, due the week of Feb. 5 and expected to outperform this week’s tepid numbers. And Katie Armiger, after last week’s attention-grabbing No. 7 (12k) chart entry, slipped back to No. 23 (2.4k).
Grid-Lock
Stepping back to study the industry, all-genre sales slid from positive (2.3 percent) territory to a falling-behind-last-year -0.5 percent. All-genre track sales however, remain up (2 percent).
Q2 ’13 however, already has a few register ringers on the list such as The Band Perry (April 2), Brad Paisley (April 9) and Kenny Chesney (April 30). And it’s likely we’ll see a few as of yet unannounced surprises.
Will Work For Food
A Jan. 28 New York Times article, “As Streaming Grows, Royalties Slow To A Trickle,” should be required reading for industry biznicks. “Spotify…lets users choose from millions of songs over the Internet free or by subscription, and is increasingly seen as representing the future of music consumption,” says writer Ben Sisario.
Most industry leaders would likely agree with that observation, but it represents a problem with respect to future revenue streams. According to the article, “On a 99-cent download, a typical artist may earn 7 to 10 cents after deductions for the retailer, the record company and the songwriter, music executives say. One industry joke calls the flow of these royalties a ‘river of nickels.’ In the new economics of streaming music, however, the river of nickels looks more like a torrent of micropennies.”
Actually, I believe that to be a pretty accurate characterization of what may lie ahead. With physical product we earned dollars. That fell to dimes with digital sales and now, with streaming models we are taking another pay cut to pennies…
Here’s another NYT quote that further illustrates the issue, “In its last four reported quarters, Pandora paid $202 million in ‘content acquisition costs,’ including licensing fees, and Spotify recently announced that it has paid $500 million in royalties since its inception. Downloads, by comparison, had $2.6 billion in sales in 2011, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.”
Hayes, Brice, Moore, Eli Young Band Get Super Bowl Gigs
/by Jessica NicholsonAnheuser-Busch will host several concerts between Jan. 31 and Feb. 3 at a Bud Light-branded hotel in New Orleans that will feature Eli Young Band and Lee Brice, along with Stevie Wonder, Lil Wayne, Big Boi, Pitbull and Flo Rida.
The media attention surrounding such high-profile performances certainly doesn’t hurt, George Couri of Triple 8 Management tells Billboard. “Apart from people who are going to be at the event, Budweiser is going to put out their media machine, letting people know that Eli Young is doing this event with them at the Super Bowl,” Couri says. “Bud Light is obviously one of the biggest advertisers in the Super Bowl and their publicity machine is going to get the word out. That doesn’t hurt.”
Meanwhile, Pepsi has added performances by Hunter Hayes, along with Trombone Shorty and the Roots to an invite-only event at the Metairie Country Club.
Even performances directly outside of New Orleans get a boost from the Super Bowl festivities. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi’s Sr. VP of Marketing Vince Lentini says that the Super Bowl plays a role in booking artists for that particular weekend. Justin Moore will perform at the venue, located about 70 miles outside of New Orleans, on Feb. 1. “When we do Super Bowl, we typically try to book two acts that are going to appeal to potentially a slightly younger demographic,” Lentini says, citing the increase in attendance during Super Bowl weekend.