MusicRowPics: Lucas Hoge Artist Visit

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Lucas Hoge visited MusicRow headquarters last week (10/16). Hoge, who is promoting his self-titled new album, played several songs, including his single “Do What makes You Feel Good.” The song is currently no. 54 on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart. He also shared “Should’ve Loved Her More,” a song that looks back on a failed marriage, and “Who’s Gonna Be There.”

Hoge hosts Animal Planet’s Last Chance Highway, a show that follows adopted dogs on their journey from the pound to their new homes. The show’s theme song was written by Hoge about one of the show’s rescued dogs.

For more information visit www.lucashoge.com.

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Brian D’Arcy Presented With CMA International Broadcaster Award

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CMA Director of International Relations Bobbi Boyce (left) presents Brian D'Arcy with the CMA International Country Broadcaster Award.

Veteran Northern Ireland-based broadcaster and journalist Brian D’Arcy was presented with the CMA International Broadcaster Award during a recent visit to London. CMA Director of International Relations Bobbi Boyce made the presentation.

D’Arcy hosts a weekly show on BBC Radio Ulster and is also a frequent contributor to RTE Radio. Also known through Ireland as a priest, D’Arcy hosted a weekly inspirational show on BBC Radio 2 until recently.

A longtime supporter of Country music, D’Arcy has covered the CMA Awards every year since 1972. He has been writing professionally about Country music since 1967, and has authored 14 books, served as a newspaper columnist, and more.

“I was not just surprised but truly shocked to receive this prestigious Award,” said D’Arcy. “It is the most rewarding recognition I’ve had or will have, as a broadcaster. I’ve devoted my broadcasting career to the promotion of good Country Music because I believe in Country Music and its people. The Award will have place of pride in my life. I’m sincerely grateful to all who brought this about.”

Nokia Music Sets Sights on Nashville

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Pictured (L-R): Theo Gupta/Nokia, Anthony Montenegro/Nokia, Henrik Bowadt/Nokia, Lila Gerson/Billboard, Maggi Demko/MAC Presents, George Couri/Triple 8 Management, Marcie Allen/Mac Presents, Mike Eli, Ray Waddell/Billboard, Chris Thompson, Elizabeth Mitchell/Nokia, Jon Jones, James Young

Nokia hosted a luncheon in the Rotunda at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Friday afternoon (10/19) celebrating the launch of Nokia Music, a mobile streaming service exclusive on Nokia Lumia 900 and 710 handsets.

Currently available through AT&T, Nokia Music offers unlimited ad-free music on over 150 multi-genre playlists maintained by “expert US based musicologists” and artists themselves including Eli Young Band, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Lana Del Ray, among others.

“Listeners also have the opportunity to scan personal music collections to build channels with similar and familiar tracks as well as recommendations,” said Anthony Montenegro, Nokia Music, Head of Americas. “You can cache up to four channels on the phone itself for offline listening.”

With a catalog of over 16 million tracks, the advertisement-free service requires no registration or subscription.

Friday’s event featured an acoustic set by Eli Young Band and was hosted by Billboard’s Ray Waddell. Nokia presented a $10,000 check to Musicians On Call, which is celebrating 5 years of service in Middle Tennessee.

“The support from Nokia Music will allow us to keep providing live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in the healthcare facilities in Nashville,” said Scott Welch, Chairman of the Board at Musicians On Call. “We look forward to continuing collaborations with them.”

Consumers who already own the specific Lumia devices can download the Nokia Music app from Marketplace.

Bluegrass Pioneer Passes Away

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Connie Gately

Bluegrass headliner Connie Gately was laid to rest in Hermitage Memorial Gardens over the weekend.

The lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of Connie & Babe and The Backwoods Boys died on Monday, October 15. He was 83 years old. The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) has identified Gately as a “bluegrass pioneer” and selected him for its oral-history program.

Born in St. Louis in 1929, he grew up in Middle Tennessee. Gately attended university at Lipscomb, Memphis State and Peabody, earning a masters degree while playing college baseball.

He formed The Backwoods Boys with guitarist/singer Babe Lofton (1929-1993) around 1952, when it debuted on disc on the Nashville independent label Republic Records. The core of the group also included banjo player Joe Drumright.

Gately and Drumwright served a brief stint as members of Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys band in the late 1950s, but maintained their membership in Connie & Babe as well. Gately’s group recorded extensively for Starday Records in the late 1950s.

All of the Backwoods Boys also had careers outside of music. Writer Walt Saunders has speculated that this might be a reason why the group was able to survive for more than 40 years. Gately was in management at Aladdin Industries in Nashville for more than three decades.

Following a long hiatus from the studio, Connie & Babe and The Backwoods Boys resumed recording in 1992. Rounder Records issued the group’s comeback CD, Down the Road to Home, in 1995.

Among the band’s noteworthy performances were “Toil, Tears and Trouble,” “Home Is Where the Heart Is,” “Lonely Years,” “How Will the Flowers Bloom,” “Roll On Blues” and “Grave on the Rolling Hillside.” All of these were composed by Gately. His “Home Is Where the Heart Is” was later recorded by Jerry Garcia and David Grisman.

Gately’s son Fred Gately and Drumwright’s son Jody Drumwright have reportedly continued the group as Sons of the Backwoods.

Connie Gately is survived by his wife Bernita, son Fred and daughters Connie and Carol, as well as grandchildren, great grandchildren, step-children and step-grandchildren. Services at the Hermitage Funeral Home and the burial were held on Saturday, October 20.

Katie Couric Special Features the Women of Country Music

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Katie Couric will give a behind-the-scenes look at the lives and homes of some of Country music’s leading ladies including Taylor Swift, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert with the Pistol Annies in a 20/20 special to air Friday, Oct. 26 on ABC-TV.

“All Access Nashville with Katie Couric” will feature additional appearances from Luke Bryan, Martina McBride, Jason Aldean and others who will contribute to the conversation about great female Country singers.

The one-hour special airs at 9 pm/ET. Watch a video preview of the show below.

Brittany Perlin Joins Dashboard Media

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Photo: Chris Mastalia

Dashboard Media has announced the addition of Brittany Perlin in the role of Associate Publicist. Dashboard Media was officially launched in Oct. 2011 by publicist Natalie Kilgore.

“Brittany’s work ethic, passion for music and zest for life perfectly embodies the spirit of Dashboard Media and its artists,” says Natalie Kilgore, President of Dashboard Media. “She brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and a unique perspective to the team coupled with a natural instinct and drive that can’t be taught. She’s the perfect yin to my yang and to say I’m ‘over the moon’ to welcome her to the Dashboard Media team would be a vast understatement.”

Most recently the music booker at The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson in Los Angeles, Perlin began her career as an intern at Cosmopolitan magazine in Santa Monica, CA, where she served for a full year while completing her degree at California State University–Dominguez Hills.

Perlin’s new role is effective immediately. Reach her at Brittany.Perlin@dashboardmedia.biz.

Little Big Town’s “Tornado” Storms Country Sales

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Little Big Town has topped the Billboard Country Albums chart for the fifth consecutive week with its critically-acclaimed new album Tornado. The album features the two-week No. 1 smash “Pontoon,” as well as the current rapidly-rising single “Tornado.”

The vocal group is set to perform on Live! With Kelly And Michael on Oct. 24 and on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars on Oct. 29. As previously announced, the band will also perform on the 46th Annual CMA Awards on Nov. 1, where they are nominated for three awards – Vocal Group Of The Year, Single Of The Year and Video Of The Year for “Pontoon.”

For more information, visit www.littlebigtown.com.

Songwriter Ryan Beaver Inks With HoriPro

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Ryan Beaver has entered into an exclusive publishing agreement with HoriPro Entertainment Group, Inc. The Austin-based artist has been busy touring the South to promote his two independently released albums, Under the Neons and the most recent Constant.

“Ryan is the best artist/writer I have seen in years. It was a no-brainer for us to want to be involved with him,” says HoriPro’s Butch Baker. “Nobody sings like him, and he is a great young songwriter that completely gets it. He’ll be singing and writing for a long, long time.”

This is Beaver’s first publishing deal. “I’m glad to be part of such a great team and I’m looking forward to our future accomplishments together.”

(L-R): Bradley Collins (BMI), Butch Baker (HoriPro), Ryan Beaver, Jonathan Motley (Safford Motley PLC), Laura McKinley (Clover Management), Lee Krabel (HoriPro), Tim Stehli (HoriPro), and Clay Bradley (BMI)

Florida Georgia Line Plans Debut Album

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Republic Nashville’s Florida Georgia Line has plenty to celebrate. The duo’s debut single “Cruise” is already certified Gold as it climbs toward No. 1 on the country radio charts, they’re currently touring the country with Jake Owen, and before 2012 is over they will release their debut full length album via Republic Nashville.

Titled Here’s to the Good Times, the album hits stores Dec. 4 and contains “Cruise” as well as 10 other tracks including “Get Your Shine On,” “It’z Just What We Do,” and “Tip It Back.” Full track listing is included below. In addition, the duo will be touring with Luke Bryan’s Dirt Road Diaries Tour in 2013.

“Releasing our debut album is a dream come true! We can’t wait to share our lives through music with our amazing fans,” said FGL’s Brian Kelley.

FGL’s Tyler Hubbard added, “There truly is something for everyone on this album and we could not be more proud of it!”

Check back to musicrow.com on Monday (10/22) for a look at the story behind FGL’s rapid rise.

Here’s to the Good Times track listing:
1. Cruise (Tyler Hubbard, Brian Kelley, Joey Moi, Chase Rice, Jesse Rice)
2. Round Here (Rodney Clawson, Chris Tompkins, Thomas Rhett)
3. Get Your Shine On (Tyler Hubbard, Brian Kelley, Rodney Clawson, Chris Tompkins)
4. Here’s To The Good Times (Rodney Clawson, Chris Tompkins, Lynn Hutton)
5. It’z Just What We Do (Tyler Hubbard, Brian Kelley, Rodney Clawson)
6. Stay (Joey Moi, John Fred Young, Chris Robertson, Jon Lawhon, Ben Wells)
7. Hell Raisin’ Heat Of The Summer (Rodney Clawson, Chris Tompkins, Craig Wiseman)
8. Tell Me How You Like It (Tyler Hubbard, Brian Kelley, Chris Tompkins)
9. Tip it Back (Tyler Hubbard, Brian Kelley, Rodney Clawson)
10. Damn, Baby (Tyler Hubbard, Brian Kelley, Rodney Clawson, David Lee Murphy)
11. Party People (Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, J.T. Harding)

(L-R): Front Row – Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard (Georgia) and Brian Kelley (Florida); Back Row – Country Music Hall of Fame’s Sharon Burns (Vice President, Sales and Marketing); Kyle Young (Museum Director); Rachel Weingartner (Membership Manager) and Jay Orr (Vice President, Museum Programs) Photo Courtesy of Country Music Hall of Fame

Gill Wins Big at ICM Faith, Family & Country Awards

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The 18th Annual ICM Faith, Family & Country Awards rolled out the red carpet at Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony for Inspirational Country artists on Wednesday (10/17).

Vince Gill was a big winner of the night, taking home two awards—Mainstream Inspirational Country Song and Mainstream Country Artist. Other winners included Chuck Day for Entertainer of the Year, Joyful Noise for Faith, Family and Country Movie and The Roys for Inspirational Bluegrass Artist.

Mac Powell performed music from his new country album, alongside performances from Andy Griggs, John Berry, Doyle Lawson, Quicksilver and Crawford Crossing.

Dr. Johnny Lee Cook received this year’s Living Legend Award. Ronald McDonald was on-hand representing Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville—a portion of the proceeds from the week-long event were donated to the charity.

In addition to being aired on Total Living Network, Golden Eagle Broadcasting, TCT Television Network and NRB Network, Nashville’s WKRN-TV will be airing the awards this year for the first time on Dec. 23, 1-3 pm.

Full list of The 18th Annual ICM Faith, Family & Country Awards Winners:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR:
Chuck Day

MALE VOCALIST:
Chuck Hancock

FEMALE VOCALIST:
Laura Dodd

VOCAL DUO / VOCAL DUO PERFORMANCE:
Branded

VOCAL GROUP OR BAND:
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver

MAINSTREAM INSPIRATIONAL COUNTRY SONG:
“Threaten Me With Heaven” Vince Gill

MAINSTREAM COUNTRY ARTIST:
Vince Gill

CHRISTIAN COUNTRY SONG:
“Jesus Is Enough” Russ Murphy

SONGWRITER:
Chuck Hancock

NEW ARTIST:
Larissa

VIDEO:
“Loves Gotta Go Somewhere” Steve Richard

MUSICIAN:
Greg McDougal

COMEDIAN:
Johnny Lee Cook

RADIO PERSONALITY:
Rich Miller

RADIO STATION/NETWORK:
WSM AM 650

INSPIRATIONAL BLUEGRASS ARTIST:
The Roys

YOUTH IN MUSIC AWARD:
Isaac Cole

MUSIC EVANGELIST OF THE YEAR:
Tommy Brandt

FAITH, FAMILY, & COUNTRY MOVIE:
Joyful Noise

TELEVISION NETWORK:
Gospel Music Channel