Artist News (1/15/13)

/by

kenny chesney1Kenny Chesney has added 28 dates to his 2013 No Shoes Nation Tour, Presented by Corona Light. The 46-date tour begins March 16 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. The added tour stops include performances in Charlotte, N.C., Fort Wayne, Ind., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Las Vegas and Indianapolis, among other tour stops.
 

• • •

 
The Band PerryThe Band Perry has added two more to their growing pile of gold and platinum certifications. The trio’s current single, “Better Dig Two,” has been certified Gold, with over 700,000 copies sold. “You Lie,” a single from The Band Perry’s self-titled debut album, has sold over 1 million copies, achieving platinum status.
 

   • • •

 
MG11Montgomery Gentry will host the 5th Annual Country on the Beach, featuring Darryl Worley, Ray Scott and other artists in Key West. The event will take place Oct. 5-8 and will feature three days and four nights of private concerts, parties and beach activities at the Reach Resort (Waldorf-Astoria Collection) in Key West. The event benefits the T.J. Martell Foundation.
 

        • • •

 
clay walker1Clay Walker is currently hosting the new season of The Outdoor Channel’s Trophy Hunters TV®. The show airs Sundays at 2 p.m. ET.

  • • •

 
 
 
Members of the group Parmalee recently returned to their homestate of North Carolina to headline the N.C. Governor’s Inaugural Ball Gala Presentation on Friday (Jan. 11) at the Raleigh Convention Center.

Pictured (L-R): Scott Thomas, Matt Thomas, Gov. Patrick McCrory, Barry Knox, Josh McSwain

Pictured (L-R): Scott Thomas, Matt Thomas, Gov. Patrick McCrory, Barry Knox, Josh McSwain


 

Keel Named Chair of MTSU Recording Industry Dept.

/by

Beverly Keel-new111Music journalist and former recording industry executive Beverly Keel has been named the Chair of Middle Tennessee State University’s Department of Recording Industry. Her role will be effective Aug. 1.
“I am honored to be named chair of the nation’s most prestigious recording industry program,” Keel said. “I am so excited to have the opportunity to work with the department’s talented and experienced faculty and staff who are dedicated to preparing students for the changing music industry environment. MTSU has played such an important role in my life, both as a student and professor, so it is extremely fulfilling to be able to work closely with students and give back to the university that has given me so much.”
Most recently, Keel was the Sr. VP of Media and Artist Relations at Universal Music Group Nashville, where she represented artists including Lionel Richie, Scotty McCreery, Sugarland, Jamey Johnson, Josh Turner, Kip Moore and others.
She spent 10 years as the Nashville correspondent for People magazine and served as the celebrity columnist at The Tennessean newspaper for two years, during which time she won the Charlie Lamb Award for Excellence in Country Music Journalism. She was an editor of American Profile magazine and also served as editor of CMT Life.
Her work has appeared in InStyle, New York, Oxford American, Weekly Standard, Rolling Stone, USA Today, Country Music, New Country, Country Music Today and MusicRow magazines.
Keel earned her bachelor’s degree from MTSU and her master’s degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Belmont Announces New Board of Trustees

/by

BelmontLogo Blk_Vert [Converted]Belmont University has announced the selection of six members to its Board of Trustees, including two re-appointments and the election of four new members. Several music business figures are among the trustees. Beginning new, three-year terms are:
• Dove and Grammy Award winning artist Michael W. Smith
• A Belmont Trustee first elected in 1994, alumnus Mark Wright, president of Show Dog-Universal Music
• Alumnus Randy Smith, a former Belmont Trustee from 1982-1987, and entertainment industry attorney
• John Ferguson, chairman of the board for Corrections Corporation of America
• A Belmont Trustee since 2003, Jim Holleman, retired President of Conroy, Marable & Holleman Realtors
• Alumnus Klay Kelley is employed by Western Spirits and served as an alumni regent on the Board of Trustees from 2009-2012.
Belmont’s current Board of Trustees also includes:
• Marty Dickens, chairman of the board, former president of AT&T Tennessee
• Lee Beaman, chairman and CEO, Beaman Automotive Group
• Vincent Campbell, pastor, Kayne Avenue Missionary Baptist Church
• Cordia Harrington, president/CEO, Tennessee Bun Company
• Damon Hininger, president and CEO, Corrections Corporation of America
• Steve Horrell, president, Horrell Properties, Inc.
• Gordon E. Inman, owner/broker, Inman Investments
• Milton Johnson, executive vice president & CFO, Hospital Corporation of America (HCA)
• Ron Knox, financial representative, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network
• Bill Lee, CEO, Lee Company
• Drew Maddux, president, Maddux Realty & Construction Corp.
• Bruce Maxwell, pastor, Lake Providence Missionary Baptist Church
• Carolyn McAfee, vice president, Hallmark Systems, Inc.
• Stuart McWhorter, president, Clayton Associates
• Andrea Overby, church and civic leader
• James T. Redd, president, Air Conditioning Service, Inc.
• Jon Roebuck, senior pastor, Woodmont Baptist Church
• Barbara Massey Rogers, private investor
• Anne Russell, attorney, Adams and Reese, LLP
• Joseph V. Russell, secretary, co-CEO, Elan-Polo, Inc.
• Dana Sherrard, Dana Sherrard Interiors, ASID
• Larry Thrailkill, attorney, Thrailkill, Harris, Wood & Boswell
• Terry Turner, president & CEO, Pinnacle Financial Partners
• Paul Walker, civic leader
• Bob Whisenant, partner, WSW Certified Public Accountants
• Jim Wilkerson, owner, Wilkerson Farms
• Eugenia Winwood, company director, Wincraft Music, Inc.

Americana Music Association Moving To Franklin

/by

HomeThe Americana Music Association is relocating to new office space in The Factory at Franklin. The organization, which is moving from its longtime home on East Iris Dr. in Nashville, will be sharing a suite with Sugar Hill Records and Dark Horse Recording.
AMA executive director Jed Hilly told MusicRow that he expects the move to be complete by March. He is enthusiastic about the office space being renovated specifically for the needs of his team, which is made up of four full-time staffers. “It’s an incredible space and incredible opportunity,” he said. As a non-profit organization, it is important to keep overhead low, and Hilly added that the group will be saving money with the move.
The address of the new office is not yet available.

American Songwriter’s Lyric Contest To Wrap

/by

LCAmerican Songwriter magazine will close its 2013 March/April Amateur Lyric Contest this Tuesday (Jan. 15) at midnight.
The contest, now in 27th year, has six bi-monthly contests and an annual Grand Prize Winner.
The Annual Grand Prize winner will be awarded a co-writing session with Lee Brice, who co-wrote his own No. 1 hit, “Woman Like You,” in addition to his co-write for Garth Brooks’ 2007 No. 1 comeback “More Than A Memory.” Additionally, they will receive a $4925 MSRP J-200 Acoustic Gibson Guitar and a Shure SM58 Microphone from contest sponsors.
Judges include Scott Billington (Rounder Records), Tom DeSavia (Songs Music Publishing), Tim Hunze (Parallel Music), Ali Tamposi (Songwriter), Carter Little (35Sound), Dave Barnes (Artist/Songwriter), Caine O’Rear (American Songwriter), Marshall Altman (Producer/Songwriter), Lee Dannay (Warner-Chappell Music), John Ritchie (American Songspace), Sue Drew (ASCAP), Jocelyn Harms (SESAC) and Bradley Collins (BMI).
September/October’s 2010 first place winner, Lance Carpenter, recently signed an exclusive worldwide publishing agreement with Songs of Bigger Picture.

Songwriting, Music Business Seminar to Benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters

/by

middletennessee1Publishers and hit songwriters will come together in Nashville to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee on Jan. 18 and 19.
On Friday, Jan. 18, songwriters Derec Rutan (Dierks Bentley’s “What Was I Thinkin'” and Eric Church’s “Hell on the Heart”), James T. Slater (Martina McBride’s “In My Daughter’s Eyes” and Tim McGraw’s “That’s Why God Made Mexico”) and others will perform during a songwriter’s round at Douglas Corner beginning at 8:30 p.m. Admittance to the event is $15.
On Saturday (Jan. 19), Tim Nichols (Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Were Dying,” Jo Dee Messina’s “Heads Carolina, Tails California”), along with publishers from Big Machine (Mike Molinar), This Music (Rusty Gaston) and Parallel Music (Tim Hunze) will hold a panel discussion and answer questions related to the music industry. Participants will also have the opportunity to have their own songs critiqued by the publishers. The workshop is $100 and will run from 9:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at Big Brothers Big Sisters’ offices.
Big Brothers Big Sisters provides at-risk youth with a positive mentor. To learn more about the events and to purchase tickets, visit www.mentorakid.org/songwritingworkshop.

Marco Promotions Launches Marco Tertiary, Adds To Staff

/by

James Freeman

James Freeman


Marco Promotions has launched Marco Tertiary, a new service that promotes singles to top tertiary radio stations across the United States. The service will focus on “music forward” stations in non-reporting markets.
“These stations are chosen for their proximity to larger markets, their musical aggressiveness and their potential to become reporting stations to one of the major charts in the future,” says Marco Productions VP Rick Kelly. “As digital sales become the norm across all genres, this direct impact on listeners becomes more and more valuable.”
The company currently services 75 tertiary radio stations, with plans to increase to 100 stations in 2013. The company continues to market and promote radio singles at the secondary level.
The organization has added MTSU alumnus James Freeman to handle day-to-day responsibilities of the tertiary service. Freeman will report to Kelly and to Marco radio manager Sarah Matlock.

ACM New Artist Nominees Announced

/by

acm_stepRepeat_tunein_logo_041212The Academy of Country Music announced Monday (Jan. 14) the nominees in three ACM Awards categories–New Female Vocalist, New Male Vocalist and New Vocal Duo or Group. These three categories will be opened up to fan voting, beginning on Monday, Jan. 21 via voteACM.com and GACtv.com/ACM.
The nominees include:
New Female Vocalist
Jana Kramer
Kacey Musgraves
Sunny Sweeney
New Male Vocalist
Lee Brice
Brantley Gilbert
Hunter Hayes
New Vocal Duo or Group
Florida Georgia Line
Love and Theft
Thompson Square
The final three winners, who will be announced in February, will move on to compete for the title of ACM New Artist of the Year. Final round voting for New Artist of the Year will begin on March 25 and will close on April 7. The winner in the New Artist of the Year category will be announced during the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, which broadcasts live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena on CBS on Sunday, April 7 at 8 p.m. ET.
 

Artists Give Back

/by

HN

Heidi Newfield


The National Multiple Sclerosis Society Mid-South Chapter will hold its 11th Annual Women Against MS Luncheon presented by Saint Thomas Health on Thursday (Feb. 21) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. To commemorate the 11th anniversary of the event, the honorary chair for this year is local country music artist Heidi Newfield. Newfield’s mother suffered from Multiple Sclerosis, and the singer-songwriter will share her story as well as a song that was written in honor of her mother. In addition to Newfield, a featured speaker will be Ronda Giangreco, author of The Gathering Table: Defying Multiple Sclerosis with a Year of Pasta, Wine & Friends. With steaming plates of pasta, Giangreco attempted to triumph over Multiple Sclerosis one week at a time.
“This event brings women together, some who are living with MS and some who’ve lived through it with a friend or family member. Others simply have a passion for helping others. What we end up with is a room full of empowered women who can truly make a difference in creating a world free of MS,” said Mid-South Chapter President Stacy Mulder.
Tickets are $65 each. All proceeds will go toward funding local patient programs and national research focused on finding the cause and cure for MS.

• • •

mm

Michael Martin Murphey


Michael Martin Murphey will perform a round robin benefit with his son, Grammy-nominated producer Ryan Murphey, on Thursday, (Jan. 17). The event will take place at Two Old Hippies at 5:00 p.m. CT.
The show will benefit the Fiona Rose Foundation, named for Fiona Rose Murphey (Ryan’s daughter), who suffers from Osteogenesis Imperfecta, a congenital condition that causes extremely fragile bones.

Artist News (1/14/13)

/by

David Wilson with McCready

David Wilson with McCready. Photo: Pearl Gabel


David Wilson (34), partner to Mindy McCready and father-figure to her two boys, 6-year-old Zander and and 9-month-old Zayne, passed away Sunday (Jan. 13). Wilson was from Heber Springs, Ark.
“David was my soulmate; he was a caregiver and guiding hand to our sons, Zander and Zayne,” said McCready via a statement. “He was a precious gift from God to all of us. Those who knew and loved him will miss him; those who did not know David missed the opportunity to know a truly loving and gifted man.”
No further details have been released. The family appreciates utmost care and consideration of their privacy while arrangements are made.

• • •

Alan Jackson

Alan Jackson


Alan Jackson will headline the 5th Annual Stars Go Blue benefit on Wednesday (Mar. 20) at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.
The intimate performance will benefit the Colon Cancer Alliance’s Blue Note Fund, founded by Nashville’s Charlie Kelley, to help colon cancer patients in need. Tickets go on sale Friday (Jan. 18) at 10 a.m. and can be purchased through Ticketmaster or at the Ryman boxoffice.
The Jacksons’ former home, Sweetbriar, is chronicled in a photo book to benefit the Blue Note Fund. The coffee table collection is available for $25 on Jackson’s website, while supplies last.